Genie's Trap: Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
by LeoN1981
Summary: So, we all know that Kira Yamato is a total Gary Stu. Some of us like him, some of us hate him, but I thought I would take a stab at making him less annoying. Please leave comments to let me know how I'm doing, especially if you hate Kira. Rated:T because of the sexual relation between Kira and Flay, violence, and military themes.
1. False Peace

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode One: False Peace  
Date: January 25th, Cosmic Era 71

"GRANTED," the voice reverberated through my skull, waking me from what felt like the darkest sleep I'd ever experienced.

I sat up in my bed, the last image of the dream seeming to float in front of my eyes – a being made up of thick, oily black smoke with dark blue flames for eyes – as my heart rate slowed and the dream faded away. Having had that dream before, I passed it off and went to the sink in my room to wash my face, trying to be quiet so as not to wake my roommate, Tolle Koenig.

"Birdy?" a small robotic bird chirped from my dresser.

I whispered back, "Go back to sleep, Torii."

The bird ruffled its mechanical wings before settling into the nest that Tolle's girlfriend, Miriallia Haw, had made for it.

There was a moment, when I first looked in the mirror, that I didn't recognize my own reflection, but the moment passed as I cataloged my appearance. Brown hair and purple eyes, I had a clear complexion and features that some would describe as 'delicate', I stood only 165 centimeters (5'6") but weighed in at 68 kilograms (143 pounds) – which was mostly muscle and the last vestiges of baby-fat. This was due, in part, to my genetics – increased muscle density was common among coordinators – and in part to the regimen of physical activity that I'd kept up nearly all of my 15 years. I put on a pair of shoes and slipped out of my dorm room, heading for the gymnasium on the college campus where I lived.

Pre-dawn in the space colony of Heliopolis was marked by the opening of the massive mirrors that reflected sunlight into the interior of the Island 3-type cylindrical colony. Artificial gravity was achieved by means of centrifugal force, and breathable atmosphere was provided by a combination of oxygen scrubbers and living plants. The 20 kilometer long interior space had forests and wetlands, farms and orchards, and was almost self-sustaining. At such an early hour few people were around to gawk as I set a sprinting pace and maintained it for an impressive distance.

After doing 20 laps of the half-kilometer long track, I headed inside and started pushing weights before finishing up with an aerobics exercise. When I was little I had asked my foster-parents to let me learn martial arts, but they had refused to send me, not wanting me to 'show off' or 'stand out' too much. Coordinators, human beings who had been genetically modified as zygotes, were considered second-class citizens on Earth, and were often targeted by racist groups like Blue Cosmos. I understood their concern, and tried not to advertise my genetic status, but I needed to push my body every few days to stay healthy.  
Back in the dorm, I showered, scraped off what peach-fuzz I had, and then headed back to my dorm to get dressed for the day. My roommate, Tolle, was still asleep, so I shook him awake before opening my closet to figure out what to wear.

"Uh, it's too early," Tolle complained.

"You forgot to set your alarm clock again," I pointed out. "You're actually running five minutes late."

He groaned, "I didn't forget to set it – I remembered not to set it."  
I chuckled good-naturedly as he climbed out of bed and shuffled off to the bathroom down the hall.

Unfortunately, I'd forgotten to do my laundry, so I was stuck with a black jacket, the sleeves and lapel held closed by red buckles and mint pants. The jacket was considered 'stylish', but the pants were a mismatch. Finding a pair of small red belts – belts and buckles being the current fashion – I wrapped those around the pants, under my knees, and finished the outfit with black shoes, a red shirt, and a black choker.

"Come on, Torii," I called out, and the mechanical bird, green and yellow, winged its way over to my shoulder. Once we were out of the building, though, it took off on whatever birdy errand that occupied its days.

I headed to the cafeteria for some food before my first class.

I was studying Robotics, but was actually a multi-disciplinarian, having already earned degrees in Structural Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Programming. Advanced intelligence was also a common trait among coordinators, but I only knew of a few who were multi-disciplinarian – most focused their intelligence towards a single science, or the arts. Normal humans also had excellent intelligence – either due to their genetics or just hard work – and most of the people in my classes were older. The only one my age in my class was Sai Argyle.

A year older than me, 10 centimeters taller, and about the same weight, he was the prime example of selective breeding. He was also working on a degree in Robotics, but this was only his second degree. Still, he was tall, good looking, and popular – yes, I was jealous of him – but he was also a pretty nice guy once you got to know him.

"Hey, Kira, did you get that program done for Professor Kato?" Sai whispered during the lecture.

"No, haven't even started," I groaned, which was a partial truth. My plan was to work on it out in the commons later today so that the professor wouldn't be able to hand me more stuff to do.

"Well, you'd better not be late," Sai replied conspiratorially.

I nodded and focused on the lecture at hand, flagging any part of the material I didn't understand or caught my interest, either so I could pose a question or research further. Professor Kato actually had five students working under him: myself, Sai, Tolle, Kuzzey Buskirk, and Miriallia Haw. We were working on an EVA suit for use in colony development in hostile environments, like asteroid fields or unstable planetoids. The project was interesting, the people were fantastic, and the project would look great on my resume, but it sometimes felt like Professor Kato expected more from me than the others.

When that class let out I went to my second, and last, class of the day, and then went out to the commons to eat lunch and work on Professor Kato's project. On a separate window I played a news program, just as background noise, really.

"The refugee camp in South Africa has been suffering from a chronic lack of food and aid items putting the lives of 1.2 million people at risk," the male anchorman on the screen was saying.

His female co-host then took over, "We'll now bring you images from the Kaohsiung front where heavy fighting is taking place."

With my notes in my left hand, I typed with my right, mostly ignoring my surroundings, but I was aware of Torii landing on my laptop.

"Birdy?" the little robot seemed to ask.

"Kira," someone called out, and I looked up to see Tolle and Miriallia heading my way.

Tolle accused, "So this is where you're hangin' out. Professor Kato was looking for you."

"Again?" I exclaimed.

Miriallia chimed, "He's asked us to bring you to him immediately." Going on, she asked, "What is it about? Are you helping him out with something again?"

They favored each other, Tolle and Miriallia. He was short, like me, just 163 cm tall, though he had a lighter frame than me, dark brown hair and green eyes. She was shorter still, I think that was what drew Tolle to her initially, standing 159 cm, with light brown hair and eyes that were a strange shade of ocean blue. I liked them both, very much, as people and coworkers.

"Darn," I complained, "I'm still not finished with the stuff he handed me yesterday."

The window displaying the news program was still going, displaying recorded footage of a battle in eastern Eurasia. "It's begun!" someone was yelling. "Hurry! Hurry! Run away!" To which someone else exclaimed, "That way's just as dangerous!"

"Some breaking news?" Tolle asked, coming around the picnic table I was sitting at to see the feed.

"Yeah. Kaohsiung, apparently." I wasn't really interested since the video was a week old. Early in the war between the Earth Alliance and the PLANTs, the PLANTs had seeded the Earth with Neutron Jammers, devices that prevented all forms of nuclear fusion or fission, and blanketing the atmosphere with interference that made long-distance communications difficult. So, news of the attack on Kaohsiung was a week old, but the footage of the attack was new.

I maximized the screen as the field reporter in a bullet-proof vest explained, "Here, about seven kilometers from Kaohsiung the sounds of severe battle continue to echo." The image had two ZAFT, the PLANTs armed forces, mobile suits in the background, moving through a city scape.

Tolle exclaimed, "If these are scenes from last week they may have already taken over Kaohsiung by now.

Not really interested, I shut down the news feed and closed my laptop, and my mechanical bird hopped onto my shoulder.

"Kaohsiung isn't that far away, is it?" Miriallia mused. She wasn't talking about Heliopolis, which orbited the Earth at Lagrange 3, but Orb, the island nation that owned Heliopolis, and where our parents and families were living. "Will the homeland be alright?"

"Birdy!" Torii cried, before launching itself off my shoulder to go check on something.

"Sure. There's no need to worry," Tolle was saying, "Although they're close, we're a neutral entity. It's unthinkable for Orb to become a battlefield."

"Really? Then I guess we're okay," Miriallia sighed in reassurance.

I was not reassured by Tolle's words, remembering a time a few years earlier, when I'd first been gifted Torii. Back when I'd been living in Orb, I had made friends with a fellow coordinator by the name of Athrun Zala. The son of a ZAFT officer, he had accompanied his father to Orb; his father being in charge of security for the treaty signing that had made Orb a neutral entity, as Tolle had explained.

The day before his scheduled return to the PLANTs, Athran had told me, "There's no way a war will break out between the PLANTs and Earth." At the time there had been an up-swell of anti-coordinator violence, but he'd commented, "There's no point in evacuating," and had gone on to add, "You'll eventually come to the PLANTs, too. Right, Kira?"

"Kira?" Tolle asked, calling me out of my memory.

He had his face really close to mine, and I jerked back in surprise.

"What are you doing? Let's go," he admonished.

"Right," I sighed, a little embarrassed at being caught daydreaming, and packed up quickly to follow the pair as they headed for the taxi terminal.

The taxi system on Heliopolis was all automated – the white convertible sedans and coupes were self-guiding, and the nearest available car would divert to a terminal when summoned. Ahead of us were two groups – a quartet of professionals in suits and ties, and a trio of girls that were giggling through an argument. I'd often wondered how girls could giggle while arguing but hadn't come to a conclusion. Normally I would have just ignored them, but then I realized that one of the girls was Flay Allster.

I'd had a crush of Flay since she'd arrived at the start of the Fall Quarter. Long red hair, curious blue-grey eyes, she always seemed to be smiling, even while arguing with her friends, and always dressed conservatively. Today she was wearing a pink dress with a couple of buckles holding the bodice to the shoulder, the pleated skirt falling to just shy of her knees, and her dainty feet clad in red shoes.

Miriallia's roommate, Flay was studying Fashion and Marketing, and often made outfits for bother herself and Miriallia, and I suspected that both girls were wearing Flay-originals. Her two friends, I didn't know their names, were dressed more traditionally – the black-haired girl in an school uniform, complete with tie and calf-socks, while the brunette in pigtails was wearing a princess-cut top and capris with three belts on each leg. I didn't recognize either girl from the college, and wondered if they were standard secondary school students, rather than in an advance placement program.

Flay giggled at something her friends were saying, and then looked up to exclaim, "Huh? Miriallia!"

"Hi!" Miriallia called back as we stood in line behind the group of girls.

The black-haired girl pounced on the back of the brunette, saying "Hey, I'll bet you know, Miriallia."

Hedging, my friend asked, "Know what?"

"Come on! Stop it!" Flay admonished.

Pig-tails revealed, "She got a letter from Sai Argyle! But she says nothing's going on, and won't tell us anything."

I was shocked – usually guys only sent letters when they were serious, but I hadn't noticed any change in Sai. The girls continued to prattle as I looked at Flay. For her part, Flay finally seemed to have enough, and admonished her friends, "Would you girls put it to rest?"

She'd raised her hand, as if to hit them, but the girls just danced away, giggling.

"Ahem," a woman standing behind Tolle and I cleared her throat. When we both turned to look, she asked, "If you're not moving on, mind if I do?"

The woman was right, of course, two cars had arrived while we'd been listening to the drama.

"Oh, sorry. Please," Tolle said, and we stepped aside so that the woman and her two companions could pass.

Flay's group also let the trio pass, and Flay admonished her friends, "What's the big deal, anyway? Let's go!"

"Hey! Wait!" one of her friends called out, the other echoing, "Wait!"

The two secondary schoolers followed their leader, the raven-haired girl suggesting, "Let's go to Ralsvy first before we go shopping. They may still have those parfait rolls they're making for a limited time."

Frowning, I tried to figure out where this left me with Flay. Sure, I had only met her a couple of times, but she was pretty, and funny, and modest, and beautiful – pretty much everything a guy could want in a girl.

"Sai wrote her a letter?" Tolle mused, "To Flay Allster? That's a surprise. But he could prove to be a strong rival for you, Mr. Kira Yamato."

Miriallia giggled, while I tried to lie, "But I'm not really interested in Flay."

They weren't falling for it, and ribbed me pretty hard from the back seat of the taxi. As I was paying, I sat up front, which was fine by Tolle and Miriallia as they sat next to each other in the back seat. Moving steadily, the car turned towards the Morgenroete facility where Professor Kato had his robotics lab.

Tolle was offering to play ice-breaker for me, saying, "What's the problem? If you can't ask, I will."

Running my security card through the popup barrier controls, I admonished, "You're being a pest, Tolle."

Morgenroete was a semi-nationalized company with its corporate headquarters on Onogoro Island in the Orb Union, with satellite facilities on various resource satellites throughout the solar system. It was notorious for being the Orb Union's major source of defensive weaponry, but most of its work was in legitimate scientific endeavors, like the work of Professor Kato. The company had a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination, and employed most of the coordinators who hadn't immigrated to the PLANTs.

We entered the suite of rooms set aside as Professor Kato's lab to find that we'd been beaten there by Sai and Kuzzey. Both were busy with their work, Kuzzey calling out a, "Hi," as we entered without looking up from his computer monitor.

Leaning around his monitor, Sai cheered, "Oh, Kira. You finally made it."

Seeing him reminded me that I hadn't completed the program for the professor, and the reported letter that he'd sent to Flay. Before I could ask, though, I noticed that we had a guest – blond haired and brown eyed, wearing a trench coat and a news-boy hat. The really strange thing was that I felt like I had seen the young man before – the feeling being similar to what I'd felt while staring at my own face this morning.

Tolle stepped over to Kuzzey and stage-whispered, "Who's that?" while pointing rather rudely at the young man.

"Oh, a guest to see the professor. He was apparently told to wait here," Kuzzey responded dully, not enjoying being pulled out of his work.

Stepping up, I asked, "And? Where's the professor?" As much as I wasn't looking forward to being handed more work I hated being left waiting. I'd once heard the military described as 'hurry up and wait', and knew that wasn't something I could do.

Sai came to my rescue, holding up an SSD and happily announcing, "He handed me this. What is it? I'm assuming it's work for Morgenroete."

Reading the serial number on the label and explained, "Nothing special. It's regarding improving the frame setup module. It's simply a program analysis." The last I added happily, because that wouldn't take me long at all.

Tolle snuck up behind me and put me in a headlock. "More importantly," he stressed, "Ask about the letter!"

Sai looked confused, or maybe troubled, and asked, "Letter?"

"N-No, it's nothing!" I assured my friend.

"It's not nothing!" Tolle countered, tightening his grip to the point that he was almost choking me. I knew he was just being playful, but if the guy wasn't careful I was going to break out of the hold, and I wasn't sure if I could do that without hurting Tolle.

Sai was more direct, asking, "What is it?"

"Well, you see . . .," I dissembled.

Sensing that I was about to lie, Sai asked, "What is it, Tolle? Just tell me."

"Let go! You're choking me!" I warned, wanting nothing more than to get out of the embarrassing situtaiton.

"Not so fast! Not until you tell him!" Tolle said.

I slipped the hold, twisting Tolle's arm behind his back and forcing my roommate onto his toes with the sudden reversal. "I don't want to talk about it," I said, turning the boy to his girlfriend and giving him a slight shove forward.

"Well, if you don't want to talk then let's see the program you were working on earlier," Sai allowed – the professor had made him team leader, so it was his call to make.

Tolle, our usual test monkey, climbed into the frame we were using to simulate an Extra-Vehicular Activity suit, with Kuzzey helping to attach leads and Miriallia stood next to the kill switch in case the frame's actuator-enhanced joints tried to hyper extend again. Meanwhile, with Sai looking over my shoulder I transferred the program that I had been working on, and then completed it quickly. While we both ran the diagnostic program Tolle ran the frame through the basic movements.

"That's amazing," Sai said as he decoded the algorithms by sight.

"Let me see," Miriallia exclaimed, trading the watch detail with Kuzzey as she came over.

When she was halfway across the lab the ground shook, nearly spilling all of us onto the floor. "An asteroid?" Sai wondered, but a different thought leapt into my mind, and from the look of our guest he had the same idea: an attack!

Getting to his feet, Sai took charge, saying, "We need to head towards the shelter. Kuzzey, Kira, help Tolle out of the frame; Miriallia, help me back up the data, just in case."

"Okay," we all called out, and even our guest was caught up in Sai's charisma and deigned to help out.

We got out quickly and headed for the stairwell, as elevators were taken offline in the face of an asteroid strike or other disaster. If the colony was depressurized an unsealed elevator car was the last place anyone wanted to be. So, the cars deposited people on the nearest floor, and it was up to them to make it down to the shelters that were dotted across the colony in case of emergency.

The ground shook again, and Miriallia spoke for the group when she asked, "What was that?" Meanwhile, Sai managed to force the door into the stairwell open to find people heading towards shelters.

"What's the matter?" our defacto leader asked.

"I don't know," one man answered dismissively.

The next man explained, "We're under attack by ZAFT! Mobile Suits have entered the colony! You people had better hurry, too!"

I felt like something heavy had dropped into my stomach, and I turned to keep an eye on our guest just in time to see the blond boy take off down the hall. While Sai was admonishing the others to follow him, I called out, "Hey, you!"

Fairly sure the newcomer didn't know his way around, I took off after him, staggering against another ground shake and calling back to my friends, "I'll be right back!"

Quickly running down the boy, I grabbed his arm and demanded, "What are you doing? It's no use going that way."

"Why are you following me?" he countered. "You'd better run away from here!"

The threat fell flat, but as the ground shook again a back-blast of wind rushed past as, knocking the boy's hat off. Blinking past the dust, I looked up, and without the hat realized that the boy I was talking to was actually a girl. "I know you," I said, trying to think back to when I had seen this girl before, but coming up with a blank.

"Yea, well, I don't know you," she shot back, "Now, stop following me. Just go! There's something I have to check out here first!"

Whoever she was, she was really pushy, and had no clue how to get around, because she was heading straight for an emergency bulkhead that closed to funnel people towards the emergency shelters.

"That's easy to say, but where do I go?" I argued, gesturing towards a collapsed hall behind us, "I can't exactly return."

She stared at me fiercely, but I could see panic in her brown eyes. I could see in her eyes that she was scared but determined, and again I couldn't help but wonder where I knew her from. Unfortunately, the immediate problem was getting to one of the shelters, and I looked around to get my bearings.

"Let's see," I mused. "Here, this way!"

Grabbing her hand, I turned a corner and started running, ignoring her admonishment of, "Let go, you fool!"

"Fool?" I shock back.

Tears coming to her eyes, the girl admitted, "I never expected to get stuck in here."

"D-Don't worry! I'll help you," I promised. "There are still shelters left in the factory district," which was where we were headed.

We ran towards the end of a hall where we could see daylight only to find ourselves standing on a balcony overlooking a battle between Morgenroete technicians and ZAFT forces. The ZAFT forces, coordinators all, were wearing green and red vacuum suits, hinting that they had snuck aboard via one of the external hatches. Two massive mobile gantries were supporting 20 meter tall mobile suits, and realized that the two forces were fighting over the MS.

"Wh-Why this is . . .?!" I stammered, realizing that Morgenroete must have built the mobile suits, otherwise they would have been at the other end of the colony, at the shipyard where Earth Alliance and ZAFT forces sometimes docked to resupply food, water, and air.

Next to me, the girl sagged to her knees, bemoaning, "I knew it. The Earth Forces' new model mobile weapons. Father, you've betrayed us!"

Her exclamation drew the attention of one of the fighters, a woman in an orange jumpsuit who was clambering over one of the mobile suits. I grabbed the girl's arm, admonishing, "This is crazy!" before pulling her away from the scene. Behind us, a few bullets embedded themselves into the wall where we'd been viewing the skirmish.

Fortunately the woman recognized that we were non-combatants and stopped shooting as we dashed down another hallway, towards the closest emergency shelter. Unfortunately, my companion was half-blind for crying, slowing us down.

"Crying won't do any good!" I shouted at her. "Come on! Run!"

Industrial District Shelters 038 were ahead, and with relief I saw a green light over the middle of the three shelters. A lift would take us down to an armored, pressurized, shelter, and I pressed the button to open the doors, flashing a reassuring smile to my companion.

"See?" I encouraged, "Some people have evacuated here."

"Is there still someone out there?" a voice responded from the shelter's wall-comm.

"Yes! A friend and I need to get in!" I responded. "Please let us in!"

In my mind there was no reason for us to be denied.

"Two of you?"

"Yes!" Why was this taking so long?

"We're full here," the man on the other end of the comm responded. He wasn't telling the complete truth; if the shelter had been full the light above the door would have turned red. What he probably meant was that they only had one seat left.

In case of catastrophic damage to the colony, the shelters were designed to serve as lifeboats, but in that case the oxygen scrubbers could only manage to support a certain number of people. Too many, and everyone onboard would slowly suffer from carbon dioxide poisoning. Depending on how long it took for rescue and recovery teams to arrive, those in an overburdened shelter could end up dying.

"There are 37 shelters in the left block. Can't you make it there?" the man controlling the door asked.

I looked back the way I came, at the smoke rising from the Factory District, the sound of gunfire and the occasional flash of an explosive. "Then please take my friend," I requested, "She's just a girl!"

After a moment, the man replied, "Very well!" Recognizing the position he was putting me in, the man apologized, "Sorry!"

When the door opened, I told the girl, "Get in." When she didn't move fast enough I pushed her into the lift

"What are you . . . ? I . . .," she exclaimed, brought out of her reverie by my rough action.

"Just get in!" I told her. "I'll go to the other side. I'll be alright. Hurry!" With my genetically altered strength I pushed her into the lift, and before she could recover I pushed the button to close the doors.

"Wait! You . . .," the girl said as the doors closed and the lift dropped. The light over the door turned red – the lift would not be returning – so I turned on my heels and started sprinting to the far side of the Factory District.

Spotting a ZAFT soldier in a green pressure suit on the balcony, I called down to the Morgenroete technicians, "Watch out! Behind you!"

The woman who had shot at me earlier twisted into a crouch, brought up her rifle, and sprayed bullets in the general direction of the ZAFT soldier. At the extreme range of the rifle's accuracy, one or two of the bullets managed a lucky shot, bringing the soldier down, but the woman started fussing with her rifle. Either it had jammed or she was out of bullets, and when one of her fellows was shot she pulled out a pistol and took down another of the green-suits.

"Come here!" she called out to me.

I told her, "Thank you, but I'm going to the shelters in the left block! Please, ignore me!"

"There's nothing but a door there," she shouted up at me, perhaps meaning that the hall behind the door had collapsed.

As if to back up her words, fire, smoke, and debris, was ejected from another hallway, leaving me with few options. Taking a set of stairs down to a lower balcony, I leapt the rail and freefell to the mobile suit only to find that the armor plate wasn't quite horizontal. I stumbled the landing, and ended up sprawled on my chest staring down at the shoulder assembly.

On the factory floor, the skirmish had been whittled down to just two Morgenroete technicians and two ZAFT officers in red suits. As I scrambled to my feet one of the red suits stood up at the wrong time and took several shots to the chest had helmet. He collapsed back to the floor. In retaliation, his companion raced out of cover and shot the offending technician, coming around to shoot the woman as well before his rifle, too, ran out of bullets.

I skipped across uneven armor plates to the woman's side as the ZAFT officer abandoned his rifle and used maneuvering thrusters on his suit to leap onto the mobile suit with a knife in hand. Looking up, I had a vague notion of trying to protect the woman, but when I saw the face behind the transparent visor of the attacker I gasped, "Athrun?"

Hearing his name brought Athrun Zala up short, and he stopped just a couple feet away with his green eyes wide and the knife raised to strike. "Kira?" he said, as startled to see me as I was to see him.

There were explosions in the background, but the pair of us seemed frozen in the moment, each trying to figure out what the other was doing there. Athrun relaxed his posture, and I stood up, both of us waiting for the other to speak first. We probably would have stared at each other for another minute, but the woman with a bullet in her right shoulder managed to raise the gun in that hand and take a couple of poorly aimed shots that had the effect of sending Athrun, in his red ZAFT pressure suit, scrambling for cover.

He fled towards the other mobile suit, while the woman forced herself to her feet and pushed me into the cockpit before following. She triggered the cockpit closed as the fires set during the skirmish on the factory floor finally reached the nearby fuel depot, causing massive explosions. With the flip of switches and the manipulation of controls, the woman brought up monitors that showed the image going from vertical, staring up at the colony above, to horizontal, staring out at the Morgenroete facilities. My ears popped with the sudden change in altitude, and I realized that the mobile suit was standing up.

End Episode One: False Peace


	2. Its Name is Gundam

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode 2: Its Name is Gundam

Date: January 25th, Cosmic Era 71

In the 70th year of the Cosmic Era, war broke out between the Earth and the PLANTs due to the Bloody Valentine tragedy. Everyone expected the larger Earth Forces to dominate the battlefield, but anyone betting on a few one-sided battles was proved wrong when the PLANTs deployed combat vehicles known as 'mobile suits'. A combination of high mobility and devastating firepower compensated for the lack of numbers, and almost eleven months later the war was still ongoing, with no end in sight.

Fielding older style 'mobile armors' the Earth Forces usually counted themselves lucky if they managed a stalemate – they needed an edge, and somehow had convinced the neutral nation of Orb to build mobile suits for them.

Shoved into the cockpit of the EF mobile suit, I fell onto the seat only to have a woman in a yellow jumpsuit and web belt fall into my lap. "Get behind the seat," she ordered, lifting her butt so that I could squirm out of the way.

Looking at the numerous controls on the console in front of her, the woman sounded like she was trying to reassure herself when she said, "The machine, at least . . . Even I should be able to move it."

She wasn't the pilot, which was made obvious as she hesitated over the controls, successfully powering up the mobile suit, the central monitor coming active first giving the perspective that we were staring down at a giant's prone body. The left monitor activated next, showing an image of the second mobile suit on the factory floor in its transport cradle. My friend, Athrun Zala, had taken cover in that mobile suit, but he was a member of ZAFT now, and had been part of a team of soldiers sent to either steal or destroy the MS. I had watched him kill Morgenroete, or perhaps disguised Earth Federation, personnel to fulfill his mission, and had only kept him from killing the woman I was sharing the cockpit with by the surprise of being there.

I struggled to come to terms with my old friend being here, at the Heliopolis Morgenroete facility wearing a ZAFT uniform. The Athrun Zala I remembered had been a kind person, who had hated the thought of war, and would only ever raise his fists in the defense of others. When we had parted years earlier it had been with the hope that the treaty signed between the PLANTs and the Orb Union would be the first of many that would result in a lasting peace.

My ruminating was interrupted when I noticed the mobile suit starting up its operating system: Mobile Suit Operation System, Version nv9-N099, O.M.N.I.

I was shocked, because the O.M.N.I. operating system was what my friends and I had been working on for Professor Kato. O.M.N.I. was supposed to stand for Oppose Militancy &amp; Neutralize Invasion, but an addition to the startup screen added the word 'Enforcer' to the end. The screen was overlaid by another, which read:

General

Unilateral

Neuro-Link

Dispersive

Automatic

Maneuver

Synthesis

The first letter of each word was red, creating the acronym 'GUNDAM'. "Gundam," I said aloud, trying out the word.

Manipulating the controls, the woman was able to stand the mobile suit up, the cockpit rotating so that it retained a horizontal position. Outside, explosions from within the Morgenrote facility channeled fireballs into the factory floor, creating a dramatic backdrop as the Gundam achieved and upright position. Unfortunately, that seemed to be the extent of the pilot's ability as she frantically looked for the controls she wanted and sent the mobile suit rocketing into the air.

Next to us, Athrun managed a more controlled launch, and landing – our MS staggered like a drunk co-ed who'd missed the last step coming down stairs. We nearly stepped on people fleeing the area as the military officer struggled to control the machine using an operating system that was almost three months out of date. She brought up random windows on the monitors that focused on the ZAFT mobile suits and various people running away.

I recognized a quartet in the crowd – Tolle, Sai, Miriallia, and Kuzzey, still together and fleeing in terror. Why hadn't they found a shelter already, I wondered? Granted, my attempt to find a shelter hadn't worked because I spent so much time trying to chase down that one girl. My friends should have had more than enough time to find a shelter in Morgenroete.

Leaning across the pilot's seat, I called out to my friends, belatedly realizing that it was useless, and distracting the already overwhelmed pilot. When a ZAFT mobile suit took a shot at us the woman only managed to dodge, and we were both shaken pretty hard as the ground beneath and behind where the Gundam had been standing exploded. The best we could manage was a shuffling walk as the enemy MS approached carrying a sword that was proportional to the 20 meter tall machine.

Firing the thrusters on the legs and back, the woman in the pilot's seat barely managed to clear the slash of the enemy unit, landing heavily, which sent me bouncing around until I collapsed into her lap. "Stay back!" the woman shrieked, "Do you want to die?!"

"I'm sorry!" I apologized, trying to struggle back into my small perch.

Looking up, I saw through the main monitor the approaching mobile suit, and cried out in surprise when the enemy unit leapt into the air with its sword over its head, intending to add momentum to its swing. The woman reached out to press a switch on the console, and then positioned the arms over the Gundam's head to block the strike. I was expecting our unit to be cleaved in tow, but in a shower of sparks the armor plates I'd scampered across a couple minutes earlier resisted the blade.

"This mobile suit . . .," I wondered, remembering seeing other projects Professor Kato was working on.

Across the parking lot that was our battle field, Athrun's mobile suit turned from shades of gray to red and black, and he used a pair of head-mounted guns to shoot down two laser-guided rockets and take down a military truck with rocket launchers on the back. There was a moment I was afraid that he would join the combat, but then his MS launched into the air, heading towards the docks. Meanwhile, the remaining ZAFT MS launched itself at us, sword at the ready. Perhaps taking a page from what she had just seen, the pilot fired head cannons, which the enemy pilot dodged with efficient movements.

Performing an economic movement of her own, the pilot managed to turn 90 degrees and dodge the strike, but the next attack landed, nearly shaking me out of my perch next to the pilot's seat. Another attack sent us crashing into a building. People had been hiding into that building, and fled into the streets again to escape the collapse. Through the side monitor I saw my friend were with that group, Miriallia turning to look back until Sai grabbed her by the shoulders and guided her away. Tolle had turned around when he'd realized Miriallia wasn't behind him, and all three were in the way as the woman piloting the Gundam backed towards them.

Kuzzey had even turned around and rejoined the group as the ZAFT mobile suit lunged with its sword. The pilot was going to take a step back, right on my friends, so I reached forward and hit a button that caused the Gunam to kneel. Then I grabbed one of the controls and manipulated it so that the Gundam lunged, shouldering the enemy MS in the lower abdomen, driving it backwards. Surprised, the ZAFT pilot was not able to recover in time, and ended up falling on his ass.

"How?" the woman asked.

"There are still people here," I pointed out, hitting a few of the commands I understood, bringing up the OS. "If you're gonna ride something like this, try putting it to use!"

O.M.N.I. had been designed to help manipulate the actuators in a human-sized suit, not a massive combat robot. "This is nuts!" I exclaimed, "How do they expect to move complex machinery using this kind of OS?"

"It hasn't been completed yet!" the woman in the pilot's seat explained. "It can't be helped!"

That was a poor excuse, and I realized that despite her jumpsuit this woman was no technician. She could make the Gundam move, but couldn't do more than that – I had more experience with this type of machinery than she did. Realizing this, I requested, "Please move! Hurry!"

Something in my voice had her scrambling out of the seat, allowing me to take her place. With better access to the controls I started programming from memory, wishing that I had the others to back up my work. The ZAFT machine lunged again, but I was able to stop its momentum by using the head guns, which seemed great for taking out missiles but not so effective against the other mobile suit's armor plates. It lunged again, and I raised the left shoulder so that the blade thrust missed, then followed up with a right cross to the enemy machine's head, knocking it back.

With an opening, I turned back to the OS, running through the steps in my mind. Take the calibrations and reset the zero moment point and CPG. Then connect the control module directly to the molecular ion pump!

Why hadn't they done that in the first place?

Reconstruct the neural linkage network!

I deviated the value so that I could use the machine more effectively. Unfortunately, this value was buried pretty deeply in the program, and would require a lot of work to undo.

Renew meta-active field, reactivate feed forward controls, convey function! Adjust Coriolis deviation! Connect to motion routines!

The OS flashed that it was updated as the ZAFT mobile suit rose to its feet and sheathed the sword, pulling out a rifle that was also proportional to the 20 meter machine – even though the machine could apparently shoot it one-handed. I took a couple of hits, staggering slightly.

People were still milling about, apparently mesmerized by the battle, so I used the thrusters to launch us into the air. A few slight maneuvers kept me from being hit again.

"Weapons," I reasoned, and used the keyboard to search for available weapons. However, all I found was a pair of 75mm Vulcan guns on the head and a pair of assault knives at the hips. "Igelstelung, and Armor-Schneider?" I wondered at the weapon designations provided.  
"Is this it?"

We landed, and I put the Gundam into a dash to close the distance while the ZAFT machine took pot-shots at me, deploying the Armor-Schneider. "Not here," I shouted at my opponent while using the thrusters to close the last hundred yards, "Stop it!"

Maneuvering around to the side I rammed one of the assault knives into the enemy MS's neck on either side, causing the ZAFT combat robot to lose power. Lower on the chest, a hatch opened and the pilot jumped out – he wore a green pressure suit with maneuvering thrusters on the back, which he used to launch himself away.

"This isn't good," the military officer next to me warned. "Step away from the GINN!"

I wasn't able to get away in time, and the Gundam was rocked by the explosion of the enemy unit, the GINN. Losing her perch, the already injured military officer hit her head and passed out as I regained control of the Gundam. Not knowing what to do next, I figured out external communications and called to my friends, spotting them at the edge of the Morgenroete factory district. They stared in shock as I walked over and knelt nearby before opening the cockpit and waving for them.

"Help," I called out, "This woman is injured."

The Gundam had an entry assist feature, a cable with a stirrup at the end. Sai grabbed it, and I brought him up so that he could help me carry the woman out of the cockpit. We carried her to a covered area – a park the Morgenroete workers used to relax and exercise – and laid her on a bench so that Miriallia could apply a dressing and bandage to the woman's bullet wound. As far as we could tell that was the only serious injury.

Meanwhile, the others helped me update the OS – if we had to use the Gundam again I wanted a program actually designed to operate a giant machine rather than an exoskeleton. We were almost complete when I heard Miriallia call my name.

Awake, but obviously in pain, I recommended, "Oh, you'd better stay still for now."

She was looking at me in fear, so I went on, "I apologize. I got kinda carried away in there."

Miriallia had run over to a vending machine and come back with a bottle. "Care for some water?" she asked the woman.

"Thank you," the woman replied, accepting the offering. I helped her sit up so that she could drink.

Behind us, Kuzzey called, "This is awesome, this so-called Gundam!"

"Does it move, or doesn't it?" Tolle responded as he sat in the cockpit.

From the ground, Sai warned, "Guys! Stop playing with it!"

"Why did it turn gray?" Kuzzey wondered, examining the left elbow joint.

Tolle opinioned, "Maybe it's a sign the main battery's outta power."

"Stay away from that machine!" the woman ordered, pulling the pistol from her web belt and firing a shot into the upper torso of the Gundam.

Tolle and Kuzzey recoiled as the bullet hit over their heads and sent out sparks. Pistol still in hand, the woman struggled to her feet and stalked towards the trio next to the mobile suit.

"What do you think you're doing?" I admonished, running over. "Please stop it!"

I explained, "Those are the guys you carried you out while you were unconscious!"

For my efforts, she pointed the gun at me. "I'm grateful that you saved me," she reasoned, "But that thing is a top military secret! It's not something civilians should be allowed to touch thoughtlessly!"

Tolle scoffed, "Give me a break! It was Kira piloting it a moment ago."

For his cheek, she leveled the gun at them again. "All of you, this way," she ordered, gesturing with the gun for the five of us to stand together.

Miriallia hid behind Tolle and I as the woman requested, "Tell me your names, one at a time."

The defacto leader, Sai spoke first, saying his name, "Sai Argyle."

"Kuzzey Buskirk."

"Tolle Koenig."

"Miriallia Haw."

She leveled the gun at me, and I told her my name, "Kira Yamato."

"I'm Murrue Ramius," she introduced herself. "I'm an officer with the Earth Alliance Forces. I hate to say this, but I cannot allow you to leave."

That was insane – we had to get to a shelter until the attack ended, and the attack wouldn't end until the Gundam was either captured, destroyed, or secured wherever the Earth Alliance had been trying to take it. "What?" more than one of us exclaimed.

"Regardless of how it happened, the fact is that you have seen a top military secret," the EAF officer repeated. "Until I reach the appropriate authorities and it is determined how the situation will be handled, you have no choice but to remain with me at all times."

We had a choice, of course, just not a very good one. I had seen the woman use firearms effectively, so she could shoot us if we tried to run.

"You're kidding!" Miriallia exclaimed, and Kuzzey echoed her, saying, "Are you outta your mind?"

"That's ludicrous!" Tolle added.

"You will do as I say!" the woman pressed.

Sai pointed out, "We're citizens of Heliopolis! We're neutral! We have nothing to do with the military!"

"He's right," Kuzzey agreed. "Besides, why are Earth Forces present in Heliopolis in the first place? That in itself makes no sense!"

Tolle went on, "Right! That's how all this happened to begin with!"

Murrue Ramius fired two shots into the air, effectively ending the argument. "Quiet," she ordered. "You kids don't understand anything! By declaring that you're neutral and have nothing to do with this, you can still distance yourself from what's happening! You don't really believe that, do you?"

"The Earth Forces' most vital secret was here," she explained, "and you people saw it. That is the reality you people face right now."

"That's being kinda rough," Sai complained, but I could tell by his tone that the fight had gone out of him.

"It may well be pretty rough," the woman agreed. "But we're in the midst of a war here. Between the PLANTs and Earth. Between Coordinators and Naturals. Outside of the world you live in."

Giving in, Sai asked, "What do you want us to do, march to the harbor?"

Shaking her head, but not letting her guard down, the woman explained, "We need to figure out what's going on there first. Kira, I want you to get back in the Strike and try to contact Earth Alliance Forces. You are to use the call sign 'X105 Strike'. Sai, Kuzzey, I need you to retrieve the number 5 trailer from the factory district. Tolle, Miriallia, you will stay with me – if your friends do not return I will shoot you. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," we all responded, and I moved over to the Gundam, the Strike, to ride up the egress line.

Sorting through the electronic interference was difficult, forcing me to make minute adjustments in search of a frequency that worked. "X105 Strike here, Earth Forces, please respond," I repeated a couple of times on each channel, "Earth Forces, please respond!"

Finally, I got back some spotty signal returns; either someone was trying to contact the Strike or it was just the message bouncing off the interference. Unfortunately, the communications system was incomplete, so I couldn't boost the signal to find out. I climbed out of the cockpit to report as Sai drove up in a transport truck, the bed supporting a massive equipment container.

"The number five trailer you asked for," Sai clarified, "That's the one, right?"

"Yes. Right. Thank you," the Ramius responded.

"And?" Sai demanded, "What do you want us to do after this?"

The woman explained, "Get the Striker Pack. Once that's done, Kira, try contacting them one more time."

"Okay," I agreed, still reluctant, getting back into the mobile suit.

There was enough power to move over to the equipment container and knelt next to it. "Which is the power pack?" I asked when the container had opened to reveal a backpack and shoulder unit for the Strike that both had integrated weapons.

Ramius called back from her place under the pavilion, "The weapons and power pack are together in one unit! Mount the whole unit!"

Above, an explosion knocked equipment off of the pillar that ran down the center of the cylinder-shaped space colony; a ZAFT mobile suit emerging from the smoke, followed by some type of mobile armor. The EAF officer shouted, "Mount the equipment! Hurry!" as the two machines passed by so close that my friends were almost knocked off their feet by the thruster wash.

The mobile armor was doing its best to find off the mobile suit, and I could tell that both were prodigious pilots, but the ZAFT machine had the edge in mobility and versatility, but human-shaped, while the Earth Alliance machine looked like a rocket with an under-slung rail-cannon. Near the center of the colony's internal space, gravity was light, allowing the MA to move normally, but closer to the ground, centrifugal forces started pulling things down, and the pilot lost maneuverability. Screaming in fear, I felt the backpack unit connect and saw the power indicators pick up – I had power, so I hit the button I'd seen Ramius hit to activate the Strike's armor and stood the machine up.

Producing a massive cloud of debris, a section of the hillside next to the Morgenroete facility exploded, and from the cloud a large starship emerged, gleaming white and red as it entered the reflected sunlight. All fighting stopped as we stared up, taking in its appearance. Given that it had emerged from Morgenroete it was obvious that the ship had also been constructed by the company for Earth Alliance Forces. Mobile suits and a military cruiser – I could only imagine what affect this would have on the Orb Union's treaty with the PLANTs.

End Episode Two


	3. Collapsing Land

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode 3: Collapsing Land

Date: January 25th, Cosmic Era (CE) 71

The integrated weapons/battery pack locked into place, and power was restored to the X105 Strike Gundam along with a couple of new weapons options. Hanging off the backpack was a 320mm Hyper Impulse Beam Cannon called "Agni", and on the shoulder was a Combo Weapons pod which included a 120mm Vulcan gun and a pair of 350mm gun launchers. Now that I had power again I activated the Phase-Shift armor and stood the 17 meter tall mobile suit up. Both moves were just in time, as a ZAFT mobile suit, a GINN, fired its rifle aiming at where the head of the mobile suit had been, the explosive round erupting harmlessly on the upper torso armor of the Strike.

"A beam weapon?" I wondered aloud. As far as I knew beam weapons were only found on capital ships, not mobile suits.

Just then we were both distracted by a massive explosion on the hillside below the Morgenroete facility. From out of the dust and smoke came a warship of some unknown type, gleaming white and red in the sunlight that was being reflected into the space station via mirrors. The GINN's pilot determined that the warship was the priority target, and opened fire on the massive craft, which surprisingly dodged the assault. Likely realizing that its one conventional rifle wasn't going to do much damage, the GINN pilot reloaded and turned back towards me.

The GINN shot the ground in front of me, and for a moment I thought that he might have been unnerved by the appearance of the warship, but then I realized that he was aiming for my unprotected friends on the ground!

Kneeling, I was prepared to sacrifice the leg of the Strike to protect my friends, but the PS armor deflected the bullets. With a start, I realized that they had been armor piercing, but the cockpit systems showed no damage beyond a slight energy drain. The GINN was also suddenly occupied by four missiles launched by the warship, which it either shot down or dodged. He dodged by flying close to the tether that ran down the center of the cylinder-shaped space colony, it's connecting cables helping to stabilize the spin of the colony being weakened by the explosions.

One of the cables came loose, centrifugal force sending it crashing to the interior wall of the colony.

"Wha . . .?! You've gotta be kidding!" I swore. Bringing the weapons options back up I picked the Agni, because the Vulcan guns had been useless on the last GINN I'd fought. This brought up the targeting system, which zeroed in on the ZAFT mobile suit. Unfortunately, my target's combat reflexes had him dodging out of the way in time, but I did manage to hit the GINN's rifle, which exploded, mangling the arm that had been holding it.

The torrent of energy launched by the cannon didn't stop there, though, and continued on to hit the wall of the colony, burning through vegetation, earth, and metal, to create a near perfect circle exposing the interior of the colony to vacuum.

I stared up in horror at what I had done while the GINN turned and fled through the hole that I had just created. Fortunately, the hole wasn't big enough to be an immediate threat, but it would have to be plugged before the colony could be viable again. Any more damage and the shelters that almost everyone had taken refuge in would be ejected as lifeboats. My immediate concern was my friends, who were out in the open in an environment that was slowly losing oxygen.

Murrue Ramius, the Earth Alliance officer who was technically holdings us all hostage, waved her arms, and I opened the cockpit to hear what she was saying. "We need to get to the _Archangel_," she call out. "Lower your hands, and you can carry us."

I did as she said, being very conscious of the movements, especially once I lifted everyone to the lower abdomen. They held onto the fingers as I used the Strike's integrated thrusters to head over to the warship that was landing near where it had emerged from the hillside. As we got closer I could use the communication system integrated into the weapons pods to make clear contact with the ship, and Ramius arranged for us to come aboard.

The port-side hanger opened, and landing there I lowered everyone to the deck. No sooner had they all stepped off when a contingent of Earth Alliance officers in uniform came out of an elevator, the one in the lead shouting, "Lieutenant Ramius!"

"Ensign Badgiruel," Ramius responded as the party closed the distance at a run.

The EA uniform was white and grey, with a gold-trimmed red collar. The woman, Ensign Badgiruel, had black shoulders to her uniforms while the others had grey shoulders. She had black hair, and looked good in the knee-length pencil skirt she was wearing as part of her uniform, standing with perfect poise and what I supposed was military bearing.

Snapping to attention, Badgiruel saluted, announcing, "I'm relieved to see that you're safe!"

Ramius returned the salute, dropping her hand first. "And you. I'm pleased to see that you were able to protect the Archangel." In a confessionary tone, she admitted, "You saved us."

I opened the cockpit and used the stirrup-ended cable to lower myself to the ground, garnering the attention of the EA personnel.

A big guy with black hair and a dark skintone, wearing an orange and off-white jumpsuit remarked, "Come on. What's going on here? He's only a kid." To one of the EA personnel he asked, "You mean that child piloted that thing?"

Others complained, but I was more interested in checking on my friends. They gathered around me while the Ensign asked Ramius for information – apparently they didn't know much more than we did. Or, maybe they were talking about me, because the senior officer threw me a concerned look.

"Wow, what a surprise," another voice broke in, and a tall blond man in a purple accented flight suit stepped up. By way of introduction, he said, "I'm Lieutenant Mu La Flaga of the 7th Orbital Fleet. Nice to meet you."

He then threw up a salute that looked far more relaxed then the two women had exchanged. Everyone in uniform saluted back, and Ramius responded, "I'm Lieutenant Murrue Ramis of Sector 2, 5th Special Division."

Badgiruel echoed her, "Ensign Natarle Badgiruel of the same division!"

"I'd like authorization to board this ship," LT La Flaga requested. "Who's in charge here?"

The ensign dropped her eyes and did not immediately respond, an action that caught LT Ramius' attention. Badgiruel admitted, "The captain and top officers of this ship have all perished in battle. I believe Lieutenant Ramius is now in the position of responsibility."

Ramius' shoulders slumped at the news, as if the weight of the ship had suddenly settled on them as the ensign went on, "Only a dozen or so of us were saved, mostly non-commissioned officers. Fortunately, being in the shaft, I was able to escape danger."

For all her talk of escaping death, the woman sounded like she regretted not dying at the captain's side.

Not believing what she was hearing, Murrue questioned, "The captain? How could that be?"

"Oh, man. What a disaster," La Flaga muttered while rubbing his eyebrow. "In any case, please give me permission, Lieutenant Ramius. The ship that I came in has been shot down."

"Ah, sure. I grant you permission," the only officer not in uniform allowed.

With that formality out of the way, attention turned to the five of us standing next to the Strike. Or rather, attention turned to me, as Lt. La Flaga asked, "And who's that?"

Ramius explained, "As you can see, she's a civilian teenager. For some reason, he was in the factory district while we were under attack. I let him on the G-weapon. His name is Kira Yamato."

La Flaga faced me head on, a knowing smile tugging at one corner of his mouth as Ramius tried to dissemble, "Th-Thanks to him, we were able to fight off a GINN . . . and protect this one machine."

That surprised the assembled officers and crew, with Badgiruel repeating, "Fight off a GINN?" Perhaps she was thinking of the mobile suit that had been driven off when I'd fired the Agni. "That kid did that?"

The pilot revealed, "I came here as an escort to the young pilots trained to pilot that." He nodded to the Strike. "Where are they?"

Ensign Badgiruel answered, "We were bombed when they were in the control booth . . . being welcomed by the captain. So they too . . ."

She couldn't complete her sentince, but it seemed she didn't need to, as La Flaga murmured, "I see."

He stepped up to me, the two other officer falling in a step behind, and the other Earth Alliance forces forming behind them.

"Wh-What is it?" I asked, fairly sure where this was going.

Mu La Flaga actually looked kind as he asked, "You're a Coordinator, aren't you?"

It was actually rather rude of him to come out and ask that, but I supposed that the military had their own way of doing things. The pronouncement seemed to catch most people by surprise, including Sai and Kuzzey. When I admitted as much a quartet of security officers standing nearby readied their rifles.

The others came to my defense, with Tolle standing between me and the security officers, who'd actually leveled their weapons at us, and Sai stepping between me and Lieutenant La Flaga. Even Miriallia was throwing scathing looks around as she kept me from switching places with the other boys. "What do you think you're doing?" Tolle demanded.

"Tolle," I tried to warn him.

My friend went on, "He may be a Coordinator, but Kira is not an enemy! Didn't you see what went on earlier? You've gotta be outta your mind!"

"Lower you rifles," Lieutenant Ramius ordered.

Ensign Badgiruel immediately challenged her. "Lieutenant Ramius! Please explain yourself."

"There's no puzzle, is there?" Murrue explained. "The Heliopolis Colony belongs to a neutral state, after all. It's natural that some Coordinators . . . would choose to come here to avoid being involved in the war. Am I wrong, Kira?"

"No, you're right," I answered. "Especially with me being a first-generation Coordinator."

"First-generation?" one of the Earth Alliance personnel stage whispered.

Lieutenant La Flaga spoke to me, but was in fact telling the others, "Meaning your parents are Naturals." Rubbing the back of his head, Mu told the others, "Well, I apologize for causing such a stir. I was just curious. Nothing more."

"Lieutenant La Flaga," Lieutenant Ramius admonished.

"On the way here, I observed a fair number of simulations," the man in the flight suit explained, "involving the guys who were expected to pilot this . . . but not one of them could do much more than get it to move." Shaking his head, he added, "Man oh man," before wandering off.

Ensign Badgiruel called out, "Lieutenant! Where to?"

"Where to?" the man wondered, and I realized that the Ensign had expected the pilot to take command. "I landed after being shot down, and the team waiting outside is Le Creuset's."

That meant something to the military officers, who all gasped.

Mu went on, "He's one persistent fellow. If you ask me, I don't think we can afford to spend too much time here."

Sharing a look, the two female officers came to a silent agreement, and Murrue ordered, "Alright, everyone, we need to complete the supply of the _Archangel_. We need to pull equipment and supplies from Morgenroete." To one of the security officers she ordered, "Please take these young people to the enlisted barracks for the time being, then report to Ensign Badgiruel."

To us she added, "Kira, Sai, all of you; if you're caught wandering around you will be detained and questioned as potential spies. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," we all replied, but none of us were really happy about it.

Enlisted quarters were a series of alcoves with four bucks, a simple accordion curtain the only semblance to privacy. The day had really being wearing on me – the fight, reformatting an OS from memory, and all the drama, had me happily climbing into a top bunk and nodding off. I was vaguely aware of my friends talking, but it was all background noise to me.

It was the old dream – I had recently graduated college with a degree in Electrical Engineering, but I was having trouble finding work. With my student loans coming due I started taking odd jobs, working two or three part-time jobs just to afford the little apartment I shared with two other guys in similar situations. Searching the local want-adds, I'd found a job for modeling work – no experience necessary: it turned out that some old rich guy wanted a portrait of himself before he died, but didn't wanted something showing himself as vital and vibrant rather than old and bedridden. The job was to be a body model for the painter

The mansion the guy lived in was huge . . .

A hand on my arm woke me from my doze, and I looked down from my bunk to see Miriallia. "Lieutenant Ramius is here to see you."

Rubbing my eyes, I climbed out of the bed and stepped out of the alcove to where the Lieutenant was waiting for me in the hall. She wore the same white and grey uniform of the other Earth Alliance personnel, but her shoulders were black-trimmed red, rather than grey or black. She'd also scrubbed the soot off her face and applied fresh makeup: she was pretty, but in an understated – girl-next-door kind of way.

"We will be going back into combat, soon, Kira," the woman revealed, "And I need to ask you to pilot the Strike again."

I couldn't believe her gall – I'd saved her life in the factory district, and then she'd held me and my friends at gunpoint, announcing that we had to accompany her until she could get our situation sorted out. Then she'd learned that she was the final authority in the decision process, and decided to detain us longer. "I will not do it! Please don't involve us any further in this war than you already have!"

Her brown eyes turned sad as she said my name, perhaps about to go into an impassioned speech, but I interrupted her.

"What you said earlier may be correct, that there is a war going on outside our world," I countered, fairly sure that I was speaking for my friends as well, "But we don't agree with it! We dislike war! And that is why we chose to be here in neutral territory!" Angry, I tried to accused her of dragging us into the war only to be interrupted by the intercom.

"_Lieutenant Ramius! Come to the bridge at once!_"

Stepping over to an interface on the wall, Lieutenant Ramius pressed the button for a connection and asked, "What's the matter?"

Lieutenant La Flaga's voice came over the comm, explaining, _"there are mobile suits approaching! Come up here and take command! You are the Captain."_

That shocked the woman, and she repeated, "I am?"

"_I may have seniority, but I don't know anything about this ship,"_ La Flaga explained.

Again, it looked like the weight of the ship was bearing down on the woman's shoulders as she responded, "I understand." She then gave her first order concenscious of her status: "Then prepare the Archangel for takeoff! All hands to level one battle stations! What about your mobile armor?"

"_No good!"_ the pilot responded, _"It's not ready!"_

Actually sounding decisive, the woman ordered, "Then, Lieutenant La Flaga please take charge of the CIC." She turned to us and explained, "It's like you heard. We're entering another battle. With an alert level 9 for the shelters, I can't let any of you off the ship now."

I cringed, remembering the bebacle with the beam cannon blowing a hole in the side of the colony. That was probably what had upped the alert level – the shelters would be locked down, so even if we were allowed to leave the ship we would likely die as the station bled atmosphere.

She went on, "If we can somehow overcome this and escape Heliopolis . . ."

Miriallia turned to her boyfriend and said his name, the pair sharing a meaningful look.

I did not want my friends to die, and cursed, "You people are not being fair!"

"Kira," Murrue said, echoed by Sai

I accused, "And you'll tell us that there's only one mobile suit aboard the ship, and that right now I'm the only one capable of operating it, right?"

She only nodded, and I looked away from her, mentally cursing the Earth Alliance, ZAFT, and myself for getting us all into this situation. If I had just let that stupid girl run off my friends wouldn't have hesitated, and we would probably all be in a shelter. The ZAFT forces would have gotten the Strike, destroyed the _Archangel_ and been on their way.

"Fine," I told her, "But I'm doing this for my friends."

The lieutenant agreed and headed back to the bridge of the ship, leaving me to head back to the hanger.

While I had been gone the maintenance crews had lifted the Strike into a maintenance cradle and removed the Launcher Striker Pack, returning the mobile suit to the configuration I'd first piloted it in. I used a mobile balcony to enter the cockpit, and then followed the directions of ground crew to a staging area. There, a new Striker Pack was equipped to the frame, adding its integrated battery into the mobile suit's power supply.

"Sword Striker?" I wondered. "A sword," well, that would at least keep me from blowing more holes in the colony by accident. "Odds are that won't happen again," I told myself.

I pressed the button for Phase-Shift, and then reviewed the new weapons available. There was a 15.78m Anti-ship Sword, called the "Schwert Gewehr" slung over the right shoulder, while the left shoulder held a charging station for a "Midas Messer" Beam Boomerang and the left forearm was sporting a "Panzer Eisen" Rocket Anchor that also doubled as a beam-resistant shield. When given the command to launch I leaned the mobile suit forward in preparation, and the linear catapult accelerated the Strike through he launch tunnel, out into the colony interior.

While the _Archangel_ skirted the ground, I used the thrusters to escape the centrifugal gravity of the colony. Four mobile suits had entered the colony, two GINNs carrying a pair of massive missile on each shoulder that I instinctively knew I did not want going off inside the space station. A third GINN faced off against me, firing a beam rifle that I easily dodged. Unfortunately, the blast struck another of the cables that stabilized the rotation of the colony, severing it and sending the thick coil of metal crashing to the ground. I dodged a second blast, which destroyed the secondary school, endangering a number of shelters in that area.

"I can't hit the colony!" I complained to myself. "What should I do?"

He fired again, and I used the beam-resistant shield to block the shot and used the resulting flash to get in close. Unfortunately, my inexperience with both swords and combat meant that my swing was clumsy, completely missing my target. What started was a cat-and-mouse game, where I blocked each shot leveled at me while getting used to the controls. Meanwhile, below me, the missile-equipped GINNs went after the _Archangel_, which was throwing up a lot of anti-aircraft artillery. If the warship couldn't shot down the missiles, they dodged, but that just caused more damage to the colony, another cable being severed.

I was getting good at attack and evasion when another mobile suit entered the battle.

"That mobile suit," I gasped.

The sensors identified it as GAT-X303 AEGIS, but I recognized it as the machine that my old friend, Athrun Zala, had stolen from the factory district just a few hours earlier. It was red, and possessed a shield and beam rifle as its primary weaponry, but I knew that it also had Vulcan guns in the head. The red suit rushed past me, and I dodged, only to spot the GINN that I had been fighting coming up on my right.

Using the thrusters, I dodged and pulled the Midas Messer from its charging station, a pink beam blade being emitted as I threw the weapon at the GINN. The ZAFT pilot easily dodged the attack, but after the weapon passed he ignored it, bringing up his heavy beam rifle and taking aim. Behind him, the beam boomerang reached the end of its arch and turned around, slicing through the GINN's right leg on its way back. I used the opening, cleaving with the anti-ship sword, which emitted a beam blade for a cutting edge.

The beam blade cut through the heavy armor plates of the GINN, being slowed slightly by the solid back of the weapon, but still cleaving through shoulder and torso. Hitting the thrusters, I hurried to get clear before the mobile suit exploded.

During the battle the _Archangel_ had ended up above me, and they managed to destroy one of the other GINNs. Unfortunately, it exploded right next to the tether than ran down the middle of the cylindrical colony, weakening the structure further can causing secondary explosions along the length. The Aegis moved in front of me, hovering in the low gravity environment, between me and the _Archangel_.

Over the comm I heard Ensign Badgireul demanding, _"Strike! What are you doing? We're under attack by the enemy here!"_

I prepared to attack, but hesitated. What if it was really Athrun in that mobile suit? If I attacked, I could kill him. What had happened to turn the friend of only a few summers before into a member of the PLANTs military?

We lunged at each other, but neither of us followed through, both of us reluctant to be the end of the other. Then, over the comm, I heard Athrun's voice. _"Kira. Kira Yamato! So, it is you, isn't it, Kira?"_

"Athrun," I asked before adding more conviction to my voice. "Athrun Zala!"

The _Archangel_ managed to down the last GINN, but its missiles launched wildly, locking onto the much larger tether. My mind took that in as I demanded, "Why? Why are you here?"

"_That's what I wanna know!" _he responded. _"What are you doing in that thing?"_

Beneath us, the blocks that made up the wall of the colony began breaking apart as the tether gave way. In the sudden decompression I lost control of the Strike and was sucked through one of the newly formed gaps into, and I cried out while trying franticly to control the mobile suit.

End Episode Three

NOTE: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor do I expect to make money off of this re-write. My attempt in this work is to plug plot holes present in the original material, however I may miss some plot holes, so I welcome constructive commetns.


	4. Silent Run

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode 4: Silent Run

Date: January 25th, CE 71

I don't know why my parents altered my genetics, but for all the brilliance they had given me, there were some things that the mind simply could not process quickly. The debris field of a resource satellite, a colony that you had called home for years, being strewn out before you, was one of those things. On the radio, Ensign Natarl Badgiruel's demands of, _"X105 Strike! Respond!"_ went unanswered as the mobile suit I was piloting drifted through the cloud of debris.

She kept trying, though, repeating, _"X105 Strike! Can you hear me? Respond!"_

Finally I was able to give words to my shocked state: "Heliopolis . . . destroyed?"

In the background, I heard the Ensign repeat, _"X105 Strike, respond! X105 Strike! Can you hear me? Respond!_

"Why?" I asked myself. Why had Heliopolis been destroyed?

The battle, I reminded myself. ZAFT forces had entered the colony with heavy weaponry – a trio of GINN mobile suits, two carrying for missiles a piece and the third carrying a beam cannon, all in an attempt to destroy the _Archangel_, an Earth Alliance Forces warship on which my friends were forced to take shelter. In the battle so much damage had been done to the colony that the tether holding the spaceport harbor at one end to the asteroid at the other end had been broken. Because of that, the plates that made up the cylindrical wall of the colony had come apart, and the resulting decompression had pulled the plates into an expanding cloud of debris.

Ensign Badgiruel finally cut through my thought process by calling my name. _"Kira Yamato! If you can hear me, if you're okay, respond!"_

I found the communications controls and announced, "X105 Strike," my voice coming out a little rough, "Kira here."

With actual relief in her voice, the ensign asked, _"Are you alright?"_

She probably meant to ask my physical state and the condition of the mobile suit. After looking at the status board, I responded, "Yes!"

Her next question was, _"Do you know our position?"_

Checking the sensor board I found the _Archangel's_ Identify-Friend-from-Foe identifier was clearly labeled. "Yes."

_"Then return,"_ the officer ordered. When I didn't immediately respond, she asked, _"You can return, right?"_

Hadn't I already answered that question? "Yes," I told her, while my thoughts turned to my parents. Had they been able to make it to a shelter in time? But I couldn't worry about them now – I had to get back to the ship as the Strike Gundam's life-support systems wouldn't last forever.

I was about to kick in the thrusters when the mobile suit detected a distress signal nearby, "It's a Heliopolis lifeboat."

The boat began to emit random bursts from its maneuvering thrusters, banging into debris and getting turned around. Its internal guidance system should have directed it to a staging area outside the expected debris pattern, but some fault in the propulsion section was sending it completely the wrong way. And, if it continued banging into debris there was the chance that the interior could become depressurized, killing everyone who was sheltered within. Or worse, it could be days or weeks before search and rescue crews found the lifeboat, by which time the people within could have suffocated or frozen to death.

Flying up to it, I steadied the astray lifeboat, I called over the comm., "_Archangel_, there's a lifeboat on an erratic course: I am requesting permission to bring it in."

_"What did you say?"_ the ensign responded, _"Wait a minute! We are still engaged in combat operations."_

I argued, "The propulsion section is broken. It's drifting out of control. Are you telling me to throw this back out there again? People who have evacuated are on this ship."

Her answer was, _"Reinforcements will be here right away, but the _Archangel_ is fighting a battle! There's no way we can accept refugees at this time!"_

There was a pause, and then Ensign Badgiruel reluctantly authorized, _"X105 Strike, you are cleared to bring the lifeboat aboard. Be quick, though, there are still two ZAFT ships still out there."_

"Thank you, _Archangel_," I said with relief. "Returning now."

The _Archangel _opened its door for me, and I set the lifeboat down as gingerly as I could onto the hanger deck before moving the Strike over to a maintenance cradle. While I was powering down the mobile suit, atmosphere was pumped into the hanger so that maintainers could begin trying to open the damaged escape pod. People started climbing out, and were directed to a hallway access, being told to have their residency cards, or other identification ready.

One of the occupants had red hair, and was wearing a pink dress. Blinking a couple of times to make sure that I wasn't seeing things, I realized that it was Flay Allster!

From inside my jacket, Torii, the mechanical bird, flew out into the hanger with a triumphant, "Birdy!" This attracted Flay's attention as I lunged after my robotic pet to keep it from causing trouble in the hanger.

To my surprise, Flay recognized me; calling you, "It's you! You're Sai's friend!"

"F-Flay," I said, meaning to say more, but the girl lunged through zero gravity to hug me around the chest. "Is it really you, Flay Allster? So you were on this boat!"

She looked up at me with her beautiful blue-grey eyes and started jabbering in what I hoped was relief. "Hey, what happened to Heliopolis? What happened there? What went on?"

I was taken aback by the questions, and being partially responsible for the collapse of the resource satellite I didn't know how to respond.

No waiting for an answer, Flay went on, slightly hysterically, "I . . . I . . . I got separated . . . from Jessica and Misha in a store in Florence . . . and I ran to a shelter alone, and then . . .!"

She was worried for her friends – that was sweet, but I still didn't know what to say. Before I could find an answer, though, she went on, "This is a ZAFT ship, right? What's gonna happen to us? What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Th-This ship belongs to the Earth Forces," I explained.

"You're lying," she accused, turning to look at the Strike as proof, "There's a mobile suit on board."

Glad that I could reassure her of something, I told Flay, "No, that also belongs to the Earth Forces." She was so close that I could smell the lavender scent left behind by her shampoo as I started, "B-But, boy am I glad," before thinking better of what I'd been about to say. Instead I told her, "Sai and Miriallia are here, too. You'll be fine."

"Where are they?" Flay asked, looking around, perhaps for another lifeboat.

"I'll take you to them," I promised. "Let's just get you registered as a refugee. This way!"

I held her hand, kicking off a bulkhead and towing her behind me, marveling at the fact that I was actually speaking with and holding hands with Flay Allster! Since the crew recognized me I was able to move Flay to the front of the line, and once she was registered I led her over to a wall-mounted terminal. All the refugees were directed to gather in the mess hall, so I took Flay there – the door opening onto a crowd of glum faces, the people struggling to come to terms with their situation. Seeing them all so depressed made me feel bad for my part in the tragedy.

My friends, however, looked up, happy to see that I'd returned and surprised to see Flay by my side. That cheered me up, though only temporarily, as the girl I was escorting ran into Sai's arms, crying and blubbering all over again. We were all surprised at that, including Sai, who was grimacing slightly and the sudden display of affection.

It was easy to be jealous of the guy – the prettiest girl in school went and threw herself into his arms.

Once Flay had calmed down, reassured by Sai's confirmation that we were aboard an Earth Alliance warship, I explained that her lifeboat had been damaged and drifting out of control. We decided to head back to the alcove that we'd been originally assigned. It was likely the Miriallia and Flay would be assigned to a different alcove, as there were only four bunks, but it seemed the natural gathering place for the time being. In the hallway we could hear the last few refugees being registered while we all ruminated on what would happen next.

We were all likely thinking the same thing, but it was Kuzzey who spoke aloud, "I wonder where we're headed.

Sai responded, "They changed course once, didn't they? I wonder if ZAFT is still around.

"They're after this ship and that mobile suit, right?" Tolle reasoned. "Then maybe they're still after us."

Flay was surprised by this, asking, "Huh? Then what? Are you saying that we're less safe now than we boarded this ship? No way!"

I hadn't thought of it that way before, and felt ashamed at dragging her into this situation the same way I'd dragged my friends into the mess we found ourselves in.

She looked about ready to head back to the lifeboat, but Miriallia reasoned, "Would you rather have remained on that broken lifeboat?"

"W-Well, not exactly . . ." Flay demurred, taking hold of Sai's arm and leaning against him for comfort.

People were walking past our alcove to their own assignments – men and women, young and old, some single parents with their kids asking where mommy or daddy were. I'd dragged all of them into this mess, but what was I supposed to have done – left their lifeboat to drift erratically, colliding with debris until the damaged propulsion unit ran out of power and people within either suffocated or froze to death? No, I was sure that I had done the right thing, but it was still hard to watch as people suffered for my decision.

"I hope my parents are safe," Kuzzey sighed – the was the only one of us who was living with his parents.

Sai and Flay's parents lived in the Atlantic Federation, while Tolle's, Miriallia's, and my parents lived on the island-capital of the Orb Union. We had been living in the dorms while attending college on Heliopolis.

It was Sai who reassured everyone, saying, "Evacuation orders were issued to all districts . . . so I'm sure they're okay."

That was true – there had been plenty of time from the first attack to when I'd accidentally blown a hole in the side of the colony with the Agni beam cannon for people to reach the shelters. After that, the Earth Forces had rounded up a good number of the stranglers, mostly Morgenroete technicians but several civilians as well, and brought them aboard the _Archangel_. Odds were excellent that Mr. and Mrs. Buskirk had found their way to a shelter first thing after the alarm sounded.

Before I could give my reassurance, I heard my name being called.

"Kira Yamato," Lieutenant Mu La Flaga said as he came down the hall dressed in what I was beginning to recognize as the Earth Alliance Forces' officers uniform. White, with gray accents, the shoulders black; but unlike other officers, LT La Flaga wore his with the collar open and the sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms.

"Y-Yes?" I stammered, wondering what this could be about.

"Petty Officer Murdoch is furious," the lieutenant explained. "He doesn't have enough people, and told me to tell you that you're responsible for maintaining your own machine."

"My machine? What!" I demanded. "What do you mean, "my machine"?"

With a shrug the man pressed, "Let's just say that's what's been decided." He then confided, "The fact is, you're the only one capable of piloting that thing. It can't be helped."

"Sure, I rode the thing twice," I allowed, "but only because I had no choice! I'm not a soldier or anything!"

In school I'd learned about how in times of war some countries would initiate a draft to bolster their military reserves, but I was fairly sure that you couldn't draft someone who wasn't a member of your own country. Mu La Flaga and the other officers were members of the Atlantic Federation military, which was working with a group of Earth governments to form the Earth Alliance, but while the Orb Union was a nation on Earth they had declared neutrality in regards to the war between Earth and the PLANTs.

Shaking his head, the military officer reasoned, "So, what will you do when the fighting starts again? You'll refuse to pilot it, and we'll all die, right?"

He let that sink in before stressing, "Right now, you and I are the only ones who can protect this ship.

"But I . . ." I tried to argue, but couldn't come up with a reason before La Flaga interrupted me.

"You have the ability to make a difference, right?" he challenged. "Then put those abilities to use. We have little time, only a little time to think this over."

The lieutenant was walking away when Sai called out, "Excuse me! Where is this ship headed?"

"An Eurasian military fortress," Mu answered in a friendly way, turning back to address the others. "Well, we'll be lucky if they let us in without incident."

Confused and angry, I meant to call after the lieutenant that I wouldn't fight, but all I could manage to get out was, "I . . ."

My conviction was so weak that I was embarrassed, and unable to face my friends I stepped out of the alcove and ran down the hallway, not really sure of my destination. Tolle called out my name, but I just kept running, taking a lift out of the living-quarter's section of the ship. Without really meaning to, I found myself in the hanger, facing the Strike, which was being held securely in a maintenance cradle, gray and still, as if it were asleep.

A part of me couldn't help but wonder at the mobile suit's construction – the genius of the designers in combining advanced technologies. However, the original O.M.N.I. Enforcer Military Operating System that they had been using was only good for basic movement, and would never have served in combat. I could only suppose that a more advanced MOS would have been installed once the Strike and the other GAT-X series mobile suits were safely housed inside the _Archangel_, their systems calibrated to the unique neurology of their pilots. As it stood, with the changes that my friends and I had made to the operating system, I was the only one who could pilot the Strike, because recalibrating the system would take equipment that could only be found at Morgenroete, or another research and development facility.

Still, trying to guilt me into piloting the war machine was a low blow.

_"You have the ability to make a difference, right?"_ Lieutenant La Flaga had told me. _"Then put those abilities to use."_

"I may be able to operate the mobile suit," I told myself, "but that doesn't mean I can fight a battle!"

Especially not a battle where I might end up killing someone I knew. It had been easier to fight the GINNs, when I hadn't been able to associate the mobile suit with the face of the pilot, but the Aegis had been flown by Athrun Zala, a friend from before this whole stupid war started. The Lieutenant was right, though, I had the ability to make a difference; to protect my friends and all the other people that I'd dragged into a dangerous situation.

A voice over the PA announced, _"Enemy unit, silhouette detected. Level 1 battle stations! All military personnel get to your positions at once. Repeat: all military personnel get to your positions at once. Repeat: all military personnel get to your positions at once."_

_"Kira Yamato: contact the bridge,"_ the voice ordered, and I kicked off through the zero gravity in the hanger to reach a wall-mounted terminal.

"Kira Yamato to the bridge," I connected.

Lieutenant Murrue Ramius, the acting captain, responded, "We are about to enter combat operations: if you're willing to help us, met Lieutenant La Flaga in the pilot's ready room."

"Okay," I responded, turning off the comm and making my way to the halls. Still conflicted, I realized that I didn't know where the pilot's ready room was, and had to backtrack a little.

It was on my way back that I heard Tolle calling, "Kira!" and looked up to see him, Sai, Kuzzey, and Miriallia, heading my way, all dressed in the uniforms of Earth Alliance enlisted personnel. They must have been out of pants, because Miriallia was wearing a short yellow skirt under her dark-pink top. Unlike other enlisted personnel the guys were wearing dark-blue shoulder devices, while Miriallia was wearing light grey.

"Tolle," I wondered, "All of you."

"Hi, Kira," Toll responded, taking the lead for once.

"What's the deal with the outfits?"

Sai answered, "We've decided to help out with tasks aboard this ship. They're understaffed, right?"

"They require us to wear military uniforms if we're gonna be on the bridge," Kuzzey explained, rotating his shoulders as if he weren't comfortable with the way his jacket fit.

"ZAFT's military uniforms are cooler, aren't they?" Tolle wondered, holding out his arms. "With no rank insignia, these look kinda silly."

Petty Officer 2nd Class Chandra, an enlisted bridge officer who seemed to be riding herd on the group warned, "Don't be a wise guy."

Tolle continued, "We can't have just you fighting all the time."

His girlfriend supported him, adding, "Given the situation we're in, we'll help however we can."

Seeing my friends willing to help bear the burden of protecting the ship made me feel a lot better about my decision, but I didn't have time to tell them that as Mr. Chandra pushed the gathering ahead of him, saying, "Move on, youngsters!"

"Bye, Kira!" Tolle called over his shoulder.

"See you later," Miriallia called out as well.

Chandra stopped, addressing me, "Oh, and if you're taking off again, make sure you wear a pilot suit this time!"

"U-Um, Mr. Chandra," I said, reluctant, "Which way to the pilot's ready room?"

He laughed and pointed the way.

Finally finding the place, I searched the lockers until I found a pilot's suit my size. It was white and blue, with padding placed strategically over the body to minimize impact damage if I was bounced around the cockpit, and featuring an auxiliary air filtration system on the back that would connect to the Strike's primary system. The room wasn't large, and was dominated by four small couches, two on either side of an isle facing a briefing monitor, but it was plenty large enough for one person to change into a flight suit.

I'd just finished putting it on when the door to the ready room opened and Lieutenant La Flaga stepped in with his similar black and purple flight suit. "So, judging from that outfit I see that you've finally made a decision."

"You said so yourself, Lieutenant," I explained, "Right now, you and I are the only ones who can protect this ship. It's not that I wanna fight . . . but I do wanna protect this ship, because of the people on board."

"It's the same for all of us," Mu responded. "You won't find too many people who wish to fight for no reason at all. We fight because unless we fight, we cannot protect."

He let that sink in before announcing, "Okay, let me explain our plan to you."

I didn't have a head for military planning, and not enough experience with the military to judge if Mu's plan was genius or madness. He used the large monitor at the front of the room to go over the particulars, answering what few questions I could come up with. When he was sure that I understood the particulars of the mission we headed to the hanger where technicians were standing by next to our machines.

Lieutenant La Flaga's machine was the Moebius Zero, a mobile armor that was equipped with four out-rigger weapons pods that could be detached and controlled by a thin wire that connected it to the rocket-like fuselage. From what I understood, it took someone with high spatial awareness to manage the weapons pods during a battle, proving that the lieutenant was more than just a pretty-boy.

"In any case, think only about protecting this ship and yourself," the lieutenant advised as we reached the Zero.

"Y-Yes," I stammered. "Be careful, Lieutenant." As I kicked off through zero-g, however, I couldn't help but think, _"Athrun, will you come back as well to sink this ship?"_

My old friend was now a highly trained military officer, experienced in mobile suit combat, and probably on a mission to destroy the _Archangel_ and either capture or destroy the Strike. Behind me the lieutenant's mobile armor was maneuvered into the catapult, and after receiving clearance from the Combat Information Controller, the CIC, on the bridge he was propelled out of the ship but did not immediately accelerate, the way I would do when it was my turn to launch.

"Strike, proceed to takeoff position," the Hanger Control person called over the comm. The maintenance cradle was moved to the linear catapult and dropped into the chalks that would propel it and me out the launch tube. "Catapult connection: system, all green!"

I thought back to the plan, _"The lieutenant will secretly move ahead and hit the enemy in front of us. In the meantime, I will protect the ship from the enemy to the rear."_ However, I couldn't help but wonder, _"Is this gonna work?"_

_"Kira,"_ a familiar voice called over the comm.

"Miriallia?" I asked, surprised, looking up at one of my auxiliary monitors to see my friend sitting at one of the bridge positions, Ensign Natarle Badgiruel in the background.

_"From now on, I will act as the combat controller,"_ she announced, _"for the mobile suit and mobile armor. I'm counting on you!"_

She said the last in such a carefree tone that I had to smile. I heard Tolle in the background add, _"We're all counting on you,"_ before Ensign Badgiruel announced, _"Mount the Aile Striker. The enemy will be here as soon as the _Archangel_ fires its engines! Be ready!"_

"Right," I responded as I familiarized myself with the weapons included in the Striker Pack. Unlike the previous equipment modules, the Aile Striker did not have any funny names besides the standard Igelstellung 75mm CIWS for intercepting missiles and rockets and the Armor Schneider combat knives. Equipped to the Strike's back was a set of large thrusters, topped by a pair of beam sabers that stuck out over the shoulders of the mobile suit. I was also given a 57mm high-energy beam rifle and a shield that was specially designed to deflect beam-weapons, since the Phase-Shift armor was weak against that type of weaponry.

I heard the ensign give me the order to launch, and Miriallia repeated, _"Kira!"_ to make sure that I heard.

"Roger," I responded, my resolve being tested as I hesitated on the controls.

I remembered Mu's words to me earlier: _"Right now, you and I are the only ones who can protect this ship."_ He wasn't entirely right, as I remembered Tolle and Miriallia telling me: _"We can't have just you fighting all the time," "Given the situation we're in, we'll help."_

My friends were not going to give out without a fight, and neither could I. Spotting the trio of 'Clear' announcements next to the catapult I announced to launch control, "Kira Yamato! Gundam, taking off!"

The chalks moved me forward into range of the electromagnetic mass accelerators that doubled, if not tripled my speed, pushing me into my seat. I barely felt the umbilical that connected the mobile suit to the ship's power coming free as I fought acceleration to reach for the PS armor power button, but I hesitated as I realized that Phase-Shift would draw power from both the Strike and Aile Striker batteries, limiting the amount of time that I could operate separated from ship's power.

Withdrawing my hand I scanned the tactical board for inbound mobile suits.

End Episode Four

NOTE: I do not own rights to Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, nor do I intend to make a profit from this fan fiction. Right now I am playing with plugging the many plot holes present in the original anime from Sunrise Entertainment using my 'Genie's Trap' story universe, which I am still experimenting with. If everything works out well I'll remove the Genie's Trap references when I go back and edit this. Please leave me comments if you like what I'm doing or have recommendations/complaints.


	5. Phase Shift Down

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam Fan Fiction

Episode Five: Phase Shift Down

Date: January 26th, C.E. 71

Twenty-one years ago a genetic subset of humanity, called Coordinators, formed the Zodiac Alliance with the intent of conducting peaceful demonstrations to protest the random acts of terrorism being committed against them by 'Naturals' – the dominant subset. Forced underground, the group eventually reorganized into the Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty, ZAFT, with the intent of taking control of the space colonies known as PLANTs. To achieve their goals, many Coordinators donated funds which were used to purchase the PLANTs owned by the Orb Union and other friendly nations. Using ownership to join the Supreme Council the leaders of ZAFT, Patrick Zala and Siegal Clyne, were able to open the doors for the purchase of the other PLANT-type colonies and achieved the seemingly impossible: a bloodless coup.

Disenfranchised Coordinators were encouraged to immigrate to the colonies, displacing the Natural population, who suddenly found themselves being treated as second-class citizens by the general population.

A rift began forming between the Coordinator ruled PLANTs and the predominantly Natural populations of Earth, which came to a head in February of last year, when the United Nations leaders were all wiped out in what has come to be known as the Tragedy of Copernicus. PLANT representative Siegel Clyne survived the attack by happenstance when his shuttle was delayed, but the Atlantic Federation declared him a suspect and proposed the Alaska Declaration, which many other Earth nations signed, forming the Earth Alliance, with the goal of returning the PLANTs to their original national ownership. To that end, the Alliance declared war on the Coordinator-controlled colonies.

February 14th, Valentine's Day, a battle was waged between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT, which had been converted into the national defense agency after the annexation of the colonies. This battle was to become known as the Bloody Valentine when a nuclear missile struck the agricultural colony of Junius Seven, killing hundreds of thousands of people. So began the Bloody Valentine War . . .

_"Right now, you and I are the only ones who can protect this ship,"_ Lieutenant Mu La Flaga had told me just a few minutes ago. I didn't totally believe him, but I took his words to heart anyway – I would do everything I could to protect the _Archangel_ and the people onboard.

"Kira Yamato," I announced to the catapult controller, "Gundam, taking off!"

The chalks that the 17 meter tall mobile suit was set in raced forward, but the machine really started to pick up speed as the electromagnetic mass drivers took effect, launching me out of the warship at combat speed into open space. Using the large thrusters included in the Aile Striker Pack, I maneuvered towards where we expected the first attack to come from. I refrained from activating the Phase Shift armor, which drained power from the Gundam's batteries, until I spotted the enemy.

"One unit," I sighed, relieved that the odds were even, but still worried.

_"In any case, think only about protecting this ship and yourself,"_ Lieutenant La Flaga had told me.

"That's easier said than done," I muttered to myself as I changed course to intercept.

My targeting sensors tracked the incoming mobile suit, recognizing the designator and displaying a zoomed in image with the identification: GAT-X303 AEGIS. "That mobile suit," I wondered. "Athran?"

I could still remember the boy I'd met on the lunar city of Copernicus, with his reassurances that there would be no war between Earth and the PLANTs. Not only was there a war, but Athrun Zala had become a soldier for ZAFT, the military service of those colonies that were operated by and for those with genetic modifications, like him and me. He activated a beam saber emitter in the forearm armor of his stolen mobile suit, and I drew one of the beam sabers from over my shoulder, unsure if I would be able to use it on my old friend.

Rather than attack, the Aegis flew past me, and we turned to face each other, my radio crackling to life to emit Athrun's voice shouting my name, "Kira!"

"Athrun?" I responded, wondering how he had cut through the Alliance communications encryption. Then I realized that since his mobile suit had been stolen from the Earth Alliance, it would have had the same encryption algorithms.

"Stop it!" he admonished, "Put your sword away, Kira!"

He went on to say, "We're not enemies! Am I right?"

To be honest, I didn't want to be enemies with anyone.

"Why must we fight each other?" he reasoned.

"Athrun," I said aloud, trying to put my thoughts together.

"Why must you, a Coordinator like us, fight against us?" Athrun asked.

That was rather racist of him, I thought; and then I realized that the ship was under attack by other mobile suits. I tried to explain while maneuvering to help the warship, "The _Archangel's_ . . .," only to be interrupted as Athrun positioned himself in front of me again.

"Stop it, Kira!" my old friend admonished me.

"Athrun!" I called out again, but again he spoke before I could get a word in edgewise.

"What are you doing with the Earth Forces? Why are you siding with the Naturals?"

When had genetic status become so important to him, I wondered?

"I'm not a member of the Earth Forces!" I finally managed to explain. "There are people I know on that ship! My friends, and other refugees of Heliopolis are on it!" Then I turned the argument around, "So why are you with ZAFT? Why are you taking part in the war? You used to say that you hated wars! So why did you assault Heliopolis?"

Athrun sounded like he was repeating something he'd heard but didn't agree with as he said, "Because the Naturals, who fail to understand the situation . . . went and made these things!"

So, maybe he wasn't naturally a racist, but he must have been drinking from the Kool-Aid someone was giving him. "But Heliopolis is neutral," I pointed out. "So am I! And yet . . .!"

I was interrupted this time by an alert signal – someone was targeting me, and I only had a fraction of a second to fire the thrusters to evade the beam energy that would have torn through my mobile suit's armor. "The X102 Duel," I noted, glancing at the sensor board, "They got it working, too?"

Possessing an anti-beam coating, I managed to use the shield to deflect the Duel's beam rifle shots, a trick I had picked up in an earlier battle with a GINN, using the much smaller shield of the Sword Striker pack. The pilot of the second stolen mobile suit was more aggressive, his machine more nimble, forcing me to evade as well as deflect. In the background, the radio crackled with distortion, picking up encrypted messages between the Aegis and Duel.

I evaded the shots, but as I was learning my opponent's attack pattern he was learning my evasion pattern. He was going to kill me if this kept up – I had to fight back!

Turning the mobile suit, I activated the targeting system like I had with the Launch Striker's Agni and took aim, surprising my opponent at first and forcing him to use his shield as well. Duel was a high-agility type of mobile suit, like the Strike with the Sword Striker Pack, making it difficult to hit at the best of times. Add in the difference in experience levels as I aimed and fired, repeatedly missing my target as he stowed his beam rifle and drew a beam saber from over one shoulder.

I blocked with the shield, fired twice, missing, and evaded the next slash, firing the beam rifle behind me to disrupt the Duel's attack rhythm. That didn't work, forcing me to continue to evade my aggressive attacker. Desperately, I worked my way back towards the _Archangel_, hoping for support from the warship, aware that I had already gone through the primary battery and was quickly depleting the auxiliary battery as well. Unfortunately, that brought me to the attention of the GAT-X103 Buster and the –X207 Blitz, which had been attacking the warship without much success.

The Buster was an artillery-type, like the Strike when equipped with the Launcher Striker Pack, while the Blitz was unlike anything I was familiar with. I was quickly surrounded by the experienced ZAFT pilots, and was forced to use even more energy in the thrusters as I shot back in order to disrupt and discourage coordinated attacks. Alarms sounded, an alert message warning me to get out of the _Archangel's_ line of fire. From the way the other mobile suits also pulled back, I assumed that they'd also gotten the message.

A pair weapons emplacements below the warship's launch tubes lowered into position, revealing two positron cannons that emitted twin streams of destructive energy, presumably targeting the ZAFT warship that had slipped out ahead to cut us off from reaching the Eurasian military base that was our destination. The distances were such that I couldn't see if they hit or not, but a trio of fireworks, Purple, green and white-blue, were the signal for me to head back to the ship.

The Duel wouldn't allow me to withdraw, though, getting between me and the _Archangel_ and forcing me to waste more energy in an exchange of beam rifle shots. The Buster joined him, forcing me to perform spins, pirouettes, flips, and a number of other maneuvers that were making me lose track of where the ships was in relation to the melee. I cursed, muttering, "It's no good!" as I did a cartwheel away from the _Archangel_ in order to evade my attackers.

While the Buster drew my attention, the Duel came in for an all-out attack run, beam saber in hand, and imposing the shield between me and the Buster I took aim with the beam rifle. My shot went wide, but it did force the Duel to break off the attack. Just then though, my console beeped, and I looked down to realize that I had reached the operational limit of the battery – I would have to stop using the beam rifle or the PS armor would power down.

My only hope was to divert the last of my energy into an all-out sprint for the ship, and hope that I could get inside their defensive umbrella before the others caught up. The Aile Striker was a high-mobility-type, capable of astonishing speed, but the Aegis was also designed for high-mobility. As I turned to flee I was side-swiped by the red-armored Aegis, which had transformed into a mobile armor with four articulated limbs that pinned me in place.

The console chimed again as the auxiliary battery gave out, and the Phase Shift armor shut down. My radio went crazy as all four of the stolen mobile suits started transmitting across encrypted ZAFT frequencies, but through the distortions I could hear Miriallia calling from the _Archangel's_ Combat-Information-Control post, _"Kira! Please respond!"_

Over the open channel I demanded, "Athrun! What's the big idea?"

_"I'm taking you to the _Gamow_,"_ he explained, and I interpreted that to mean he was taking me to one of their ships.

"Get serious," I argued, "I'm not going to any ZAFT ship!"

"You're a Coordinator! You're one of us!" my old friend spouted racist Kool-Aid.

I had already explained that my friends were on board the _Archangel_, but Athrun seemed to believe that as soon as I was among 'our kind' I would change who I was. "No!" I told him, "I won't join ZAFT!"

"Cut it out, Kira!" he shouted, before saying in a more reasonable tone, "Just let me take you. Otherwise, I'll have to shoot you!"

My intent was to reason with him further, but I only managed to get out his name before what Athrun had said managed to sink in. He went on, "I already lost my mom in the Bloody Valentine. So I . . .!"

He was interrupted by something, and the Aegis started evasive maneuvers, and a moment later the transformable mobile armor was shaken by a direct hit.

A voice cut through the encryption static, shouting, "Kid!"

"Lieutenant La Flaga," I recognized.

Deploying the combat knives I jammed them into two of the X303's limb joints, forcing Athrun to let go of me and switch to mobile suit mode and limiting his maneuverability greatly. My old friend fell back as the lieutenant ordered, "Get away from there! The _Archangel's_ sending out the launcher!"

That was insane, but as I was in the middle of battle with my former best friend and his blood-thirsty new associates, insanity was probably a good thing. Demonstrating his years of combat experience and heightened spatial awareness, the lieutenant deployed and recalled the four weapons pods that were equipped to his custom mobile armor, keeping the four stolen mobile suits busy.

"We've still got the big ship behind us," Mu reminded me. "Hurry and make changes to prepare for it!"

The plan had been for me to land and switch equipment, but I supposed that we were just going to have to wing this. I watched in the cameras as the Zero engaged the Aegis, which had tried to make a run at me despite its damage, but I remembered my friends aboard the _Archangel_ who were doing their best to protect the ship, too. Resolved, I told him, "I understand!"

"Kira!" Athrun shouted behind me as I accelerated away, diverting all the power I could to the thruster.

An alert message game up – the Duel and Buster were in pursuit, but were forced to scatter when we entered the _Archangel's_ weapons range.

_"Kira,"_ Miriallia's voice cut through the static now that I was out of the melee, _"I'm transmitting the course that the Launcher Striker will be sent out on. You'll need to catch the shoulder weapon pod before slowing down to let the beam cannon catch up."_

"Okay, I'm almost there," I told her.

Seemingly ignorant of his own mortality, the pilot of the Duel pushed his machine ahead, narrowly dodging the warship's defensive fire to get to me. He seemed blind to the fact that the _Archangel_ had its launch tube open, a vulnerable position that he could have exploited if he weren't so focused on me. Meanwhile, the AQM/E-X03 Launcher Striker equipment, according to my sensor board, was propelled out of the launch tube via the mass driver.

"It's here," I encouraged myself while ejecting the thrusters to free up the attachment points for the new equipment. Bringing myself into position I rapidly gained on the shoulder combo weapons pod as an alert warning started flashing on the sensor board. "The Duel," I exclaimed, "It's locked on to me?"

This was going to be close, I stressed as the weapons pod connected to the right shoulder. I slowed down slightly, allowing the Agni beam cannon to catch up and snap into place on the back as the Duel fired a rocket that was underslung on its rifle. My hand was hovering over the Phase Shift control as the Launcher's battery registered, and I slapped the button a second before the Strike was struck in the back by the explosive round.

For a moment I thought I was dead, but when the moment passed I turned around and used the explosion as cover to fire the Agni where I thought the Duel might be. The move was a partial success – the other mobile suit had drifted slightly to the left, so all I managed was to hit the right arm. The arm vaporized under the torrent of energy, taking the beam rifle along with it. Afraid of running out of power again, I fired the 120mm Vulcans and the 350mm launchers, as I was joined by Lieutenant La Flaga in his Mobius Zero. Together we took up defensive positions as the ZAFT soldiers in their stolen mobile suits retreated to the waiting warship that was following in the _Archangel's_ wake.

Miriallia's voice cheered, _"All enemies have cleared the combat area. You are free to return, Kira."_

"R-Right," I responded, finding that I was shivering as I maneuvered the Strike towards the launch tube. Somehow, I managed to hold it together long enough for the Launcher Striker to be removed and to position the Gundam in a maintenance cradle. Then everything that had happened came crashing back down on me.

Athrun Zala, who I still considered a friend deep down, had told me that he would have to kill me. I had been fighting for my life against four highly trained ZAFT soldiers, and barely escaped. Then there was the fact that I had actually been aiming to kill when I fired the Agni at the Duel. Even though I tried to hold them back, tears started streaming down my cheeks as I remembered that I was already a killer – that I had killed the pilot of that GINN on Heliopolis; I had killed, and barely thought anything of it.

What did that say about me?

Was I a horrible person? A murderer?

The cockpit hatch opened, and Lieutenant La Flaga demanded, "Hey, what are you doing in there? Come out!" He called my name, but I couldn't look up as I struggled to come to an understanding of myself. I couldn't even look at the man, ashamed as I was.

In a kind voice, the lieutenant assured me, "It's over. Come on, now!" He pried my fingers from the controls, encouraging me with, "Hurry up and get outta there! Neither of us got killed, and the ship's okay! You did a great job."

'A great job', I wondered, looking at my hands and remembering that I had killed a man, and that I'd almost done it again without thinking. What kind of person was I?

He helped me out of the cockpit and then led the way to the pilot's ready room. Mu even brought me a change of clothes, though I didn't know if I cared for the Earth Alliance junior enlisted uniform with the dark-blue shoulder. He did leave me alone to change, but I found him hanging around outside the briefing room when I was done.

"I forgot to tell you earlier," he commented, throwing and arm around my shouler.

"Yes?" I prompted.

The lieutenant's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper as he ordered, "Put a lock on the Strike's activation program. Make sure that no one can move it but you!"

"Huh?" was my response, wondering what this was about.

"Come on," he called, heading towards the hanger, "I'll help you."

Imbedding passwords was fairly simple – I just duplicated the biometric scan into additional steps. Essentially, the Strike would verify my presence before startup, at various times during startup, and then verify that I was alone once the cockpit hatch was closed.

"Good job, kid," the lieutenant enthused. "Now, head to the mess hall to get something to eat."

That sounded like a good idea, because I was pretty hungry. I still had a lot of thinking to do, but trying to think on an empty stomach was an exercise in futility, especially for someone only 15 years old.

End Episode Five

NOTE: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor do I intend to make money off of this fan fiction – it is purely for entertainment. That being said, what I'm trying to do is plug some of the plot holes present in the original material. I might miss some, though, so please leave comments telling me your thoughts, impressions, and especially any mistakes that you caught. Thank you!


	6. The Vanishing Gundam

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam Fan Fiction

Episode Six: The Vanishing Gundam

Date: January 26th, C.E. 71

Hungry, I stepped into the mess hall to find that it was packed with refugees who had been watching the battle on the wall-mounted monitors. Flay Allster was in the group, her red hair slightly frizzy and her pink dress a little wrinkled, sitting next to Sai Argyle. I was again hit with a bout of jealousy seeing them together; Flay with her mysterious blue-grey eyes, looking vulnerable and clinging to Sai like he were her anchor in a storm.

"What is this?" she wondered, watching the screen. "What's going on, Sai?"

I moved over so that I could see the monitor too, but what I saw confused me as well. Various external cameras were showing scenes of men in combat pressure suits, carrying assault rifles, boarding the ship through various ports. At first I thought it might be some movie that had been put on to entertain the refugees, but then I recognized the _Archangel's_ bridge and various angles of the ship.

The door to the mess hall opened, and five men stepped inside wearing the same pressure suits and carrying rifles, the leader ordering, "Okay! Freeze!" When some of the refugees started to rise from the tables he added, " Don't move!"

We were all forced to take a seat, and were soon joined by the maintainers from the hanger and crew from the bridge, including Miriallia, Tolle, and Kuzzey.

"What is with you guys?" Chief Murdock demanded, but he was given no answer, just a jab in the ribs with a gun barrel to get him moving. He complained, "You've got to be kidding me," but he did join us in the mess.

The bridge crew were of a like mind, the helmsman muttering, "Damn," as he followed the Chief.

All the monitors were turned off, leaving us with no information except for the silent soldiers who were standing watch. Some of the refugees began to complain, "What? What's happening?" "Aren't we going to be let off here?" "Why is there no explaination?"

Sai asked one of the crewmen, "Eurasia is supposed to be an ally, right? Don't they get along with the Atlantic Federation?"

"That's not the problem," the crewman, Tonomura, replied.

Crewman Pal explained, "The problem is that we have no identification code."

"Is that much of a problem?" Tolle wondered.

"Apparently," Chandra answered.

To Petty Officer Neumann, Chief Murdock confessed, "Although I believe the real problem lies elsewhere."

Neumann confessed, "You're right," and went on to explain, "When the Atlantic Federation first proposed going to war after the Tragedy of Copernicus, the Eurasian Federation accused the AF of conspiring to steal their military secrets. A clause had to be written into the Alaska Declaration that allowed the separate nations to maintain 'strategic national identities', or rather, military technologies would not be shared among the nations. Here we are, though; a warship with new technologies and a mobile suit developed by the AF in secret from the rest of the Earth Alliance. Both Captain Ramius and Lieutenant La Flaga expressed doubts about coming to Artemis, worried that something like this might happen."

"What?" Sai asked. "Why would we come here if they knew the Eurasians were going to do something like this?"

Neumann sighed, explaining, "Because Ensign Badgiruel was right – we need supplies and orders if we're going to survive this."

The kitchen staff started serving meals, and we all joined the cue for a tray of mostly identifiable foodstuffs. "Is this situation going to continue for long?" Chandra wondered as he returned with his tray.

"Beats me!" Tonomura answered as Chandra sat down next to him, "We won't know a thing until the captain returns!"

"We can't exactly cause a scene with our allies, either," Pal cautioned the group.

"There seems to be a lot going on, even within the Earth Forces," Chandra reasoned.

I picked at my food, not really listening to the conversation as I ran the previous 10 hours through my head. From when I recognized Athrun on the factory floor of Morgenroete to the previous battle where he had threatened that if I didn't join ZAFT he would kill me. He had changed so much from the boy I'd met in Copernicus City, but I could barely recognize myself after just 10 hours. What I really needed was a good night's sleep and a hot shower, but I wasn't likely to get either any time soon.

Only halfway through my meal a pair of men still wearing their officer caps came into the mess hall. Their uniforms were white and black, with black shoulders. I still hadn't memorized the rank designations, but I figured the man on the left with the black collar, one thick gold line on each side of the divide, outranked everyone that I had seen so far. He had a square face and narrow eyes, and looked at both people and objects with the same smug expression.

"Who are the pilot and mechanic of the mobile suit on board this ship?" the man demanded.

"The pilot and the mechanic," the second man ordered. This one had the normal red collar with two thinner gold lines. "They're among you people, right?"

I made to stand up, but Chief Murdock put his hands on my shoulders and kept me from rising.

Petty Officer Neumann stepped forward, the highest ranking enlisted person onboard, demanding, "Why are you asking us?"

The second man grabbed Neumann by the front of his uniform, and in a threatening tone said, "What?"

Going on, the PO reasoned, "Is it because the captain and our officers didn't tell you? Or because you couldn't ask them?"

I remembered Lieutenant La Flaga meeting me outside the ready room, telling me, _"Put a lock on the Strike's activation program. Make sure no one can move it but you!"_

So, the reason these two were demanding to know where the 'pilot and mechanic' were, was because they wanted to move the Strike off of the _Archangel_, or at least access the information contained within the mobile suit's computers.

"I see," the person in command said, placing a placating hand on his subordinate's arm to prompt the junior officer to release Neumann. "That's right. Among the Atlantic Federation . . . you people are elite personnel selected for a top-secret military project."

Both officers had said the words 'you people' with a slight distain in their voices, as if they believed that the people of the Atlantic Federation were somehow beneath them.

Fixing his collar, Neumann asked, "What are you planning to do to the Strike?"

With a fake smile and faux sincerity, the Eurasian officer assured us, "We won't do anything. It's just that we're fortunate enough to be granted the . . . opportunity to observe it before the official announcement, is all. Who's the pilot?"

Chief Murdock lied, "It's Lieutenant La Flaga. If you have any questions about it, please ask the lieutenant."

"We monitored the battle fought earlier," the senior officer countered. "Even I know that he's the only person capable of handling the Zero and its gun barrels."

There was actual respect in his voice at that declaration – well, it was good to know that the commander respected someone. But, then he eyed Miriallia, and smile that made my skin crawl catching the edges of the man's lips. He stepped forward and grabbed the girl by the arm, dragging my friend to her feet.

Standing up, Tolle called out Miriallia's name but had the sense not to strike at the military officer. Again, I tried to stand only to have Murdock push me back into my seat. Miriallia tried to break free of the man's grip, but the officer was too strong, squeezing her arm tighter until she was grimacing in pain.

"It's unlikely that a woman would pilot that thing," the officer reasoned, "But when you consider that even the captain of this ship is a woman . . ."

He twisted her arm, and I managed to get to my feet without Murdock stopping me. "That's unfair!" I shouted across the room

"Kid!" the chief warned, trying to push me back down.

Shrugging out of his grip, I announced, "I'm the pilot of the mobile suit."

The officer pushed Miriallia towards his subordinate and stalked towards me, laughing, "Hey, kid, I appreciate your wanting to protect the girl, but piloting a mobile suit isn't something a young guy like you can handle, now, is it?" Cocking his fist back to punch me, he roared, "Get serious!"

So, I got serious – as his arm snapped forward I grabbed his wrist with one hand and his elbow with the other, twisting and using leverage to throw the Eurasian officer to the floor. He hit the ground hand and had the wind knocked out of him by surprise. Standing over the man, I replied, "I've done nothing to deserve being hit by you!"

"Commander," the subordinate called out as he and two Eurasian soldiers pushed people aside to confront me.

"What's wrong with you people?" I wanted to know as I turned to face the trio.

"Kira, stop it!" the chief warned, restraining me. "Don't fight back!"

"Bastard," the subordinate accused, reaching out to grab my jacket and punch me.

Sai stepped up, trying to restrain the officer, admonishing, "Stop it!"

He took the blow instead, which staggered him into Flay. "Sai!" she screamed, catching her boyfriend. "Would you stop it?" she called out, "What Kira is saying is true! He's the pilot!"

"Flay," Tolle warned.

Sniffing derisively, the officer that had ahold of me countered, "Would you people cut it out?"

"I'm not lying," she reasoned, "Because that boy's a Coordinator."

There were shocked looks, not just among the Eurasian personnel as some of the _Archangel's_ crew looked shocked as well. The senior officer got to his feet musing, "A Coordinator? Well, isn't that interesting."

The two guards that had followed the subordinate officer forward raised their weapons, and I was put into an arm-hold by the subordinate before being marched out of the mess hall. We took a lift down to the hanger, the soldiers on their guards in case I tried anything. In the hanger, the Strike was still restrained inside the maintenance cradle, gray and motionless – it looked like a sleeping giant, restrained.

"So, you want me to release the lock on the OS, right?" I asked.

Nearby two technicians stage-whispered, "What? Are you sure?" "That child?"

"For starters," the 'commander' intoned, sounding like he was thinking devious thoughts, "But you're capable of doing many other things, right?"

"What do you mean?"

He mused, "For example, you could analyze the structure of this mobile suit and build another . . . or make a weapon that's effective against it."

What could he possibly be thinking, I wondered. It was like the man was imagining a time when the war with the PLANTs would be over and they would need weapons capable of matching or defeating the Atlantic Federation's mobile suits. "I'm nothing but a civilian student," I pointed out, "I'm not a soldier, nor a military contractor. There's no reason why I should have to do any of that."

The commander reasoned, "But you're a traitor to the Coordinators."

"A traitor?" I repeated, wondering if this guy was drinking the same Kool-Aid as Athrun or just following the recipe. According to my residency documents I was a citizen of the Orb Union, which was neutral in the war between the Earth Alliance and the PLANTs. The only reason I was fighting to defend an Atlantic Federation ship was because my friends were refuges onboard said ship.

Musing, mostly to himself, but perhaps believing it would unnerve me, he went on, "I have no idea why, but regardless . . . you did betray your own people, didn't you? In which case . . .."

"You're wrong," I cut him off.

But, the military commander went on, explaining, "As a Coordinator taking sides with the Earth Forces, you're very valuable." He reassured me, "There's nothing to worry about. You'll be treated well. Even in Eurasia."

I got it – he was trying to convince me to switch sides, to support the Eurasian faction of the Earth Alliance because he supposed that I was a ZAFT officer who had defected to the Atlantic Federation and taught them everything they knew about mobile suit design. Or, at least something along those lines. Between him and Ensign Badgiruel, my opinion of military officers was really being shaken.

"Look," I told the man, buying for time, mostly, "I'll unlock the Gundam and give you the OS." The original OS, I reasoned, the one that would be useful in construction but not combat.

"I knew you would see reason," the officer leered.

The pair of technicians and one of the soldiers accompanied me up to the cockpit, which I opened via a hidden keypad on the side. Once inside I went through the steps of activating the OS, letting it scan my biometrics multiple times and letting the Eurasian personnel believe that the delay were normal, and the multiple checks were a standard safety feature. I finally brought up the O.M.N.I. Enforcer screen when a series of tremors were translated through the docking moors from the asteroid fortress of Artemis itself.

I could just hear the commander demanding, "Control room! What were those tremors?"

The response was too weak to hear, but the commander replied, "But those were explosions!"

"An attack?" I wondered.

"Open the umbrella, Rize! What are you doing?" the officer ordered, and a moment later he demanded "What? They got through the umbrella? That's impossible!"

"Commander," the soldier guarding me shouted, looking to his commanding officer for orders.

Stowing the keyboard I kicked the distracted soldier out of the cockpit and triggered the cockpit hatch to close, causing the two technicians to leap out of the way. That triggered the final biometric check, which verified that I was the only one onboard. Unfortunately, there was no one there to release the maintenance cradle restraints, so I was forced to break out of them as I proceeded from the central hanger to the launch tube.

"Bastard!" the commander shouted.

Over the external speakers I reasoned, "We're under attack, right? There isn't time for this!"

The officer cursed again and ran off towards a waiting transport.

In the launch tube the Strike was equipped with the AQM/E-X02 Sword Striker equipment. The Panzer Eisen rocket anchor fitting over the left forearm, while the Midas Messer beam boomerang connected to the right shoulder. On the back the additional battery pack/sheath for the Schwert Gewehr anti-ship sword was connected and the Strike was ready to launch. However, no one was operating the launch controls – I was lucky that I'd been able to get a Striker pack at all. This forced me to make my way from the launch tube to the hanger and use the lower hatch to exit the _Archangel_.

Rising up between the _Archangel_ and a Eurasian Federation warship, I scanned the cavernous harbor of Artemis fortress, spotting the GAT-X207 Blitz wreaking havoc on the harbor. I launched myself towards it, and spotting me, the Blitz' pilot launched his version of the rocket anchor, which trailed a cable to both control and recall the weapon. Launching my own in return, the two anchors clashed and were deflected.

I cursed, "He's come all the way in here!"

What kind of equipment did the Blitz have that it could sneak into a previously impregnable fortress like Artemis? I really needed to read up on the other GAT-X series mobile suits – maybe there was an equipment kit like the Blitz for the Strike, the way the Launcher Striker mimicked the capabilities of the Buster, and the Aile Striker mimicked the Aegis. Or, maybe the Sword Striker was the closest equivalent – at the moment I knew only a little more about the Strike than I did any of the others.

I unslung the Schwert Gewehr and closed the distance, trying to use the massive weapon to slash through the Blitz. Below us, the _Archangel_ broke free of its moorings and began to maneuver around the other warships in the harbor. That was good – I just had to keep the Blitz occupied until the ship could maneuver around towards the exit. Dodging its rocket anchor, I threw the thrusters forward and slashed, forcing my opponent to retreat.

Facing another Coordinator in battle, I was reminded of the Artemis commander saying, _"But you're a traitor to the Coordinators. As a coordinator taking sides with the Earth Forces, you're very valuable."_

I cursed, and shouted at no one in particular, "Just leave us alone!" Focusing my anger, I rushed forward, dodging around a trio of rockets that the Blitz launched from its right shield, slashing one of them as I moved in close.

_"Kira!"_ Miriallia called over the radio. _"Kira, come back! _Archangel's_ taking off!"_

Reversing thrust, I kept the Blitz in sight until I was sure it wouldn't pursue right away, and then I turned and threw the Strike into the highest speed the Sword Striker pack would allow. Behind me, an explosion separated me from the other mobile suit, which had tried to follow me at the last minute. Below, the _Archangel_ was moving steadily towards the harbor mouth, and I landed on top of the hanger, awaiting instructions as we escaped the exploding military fortress.

Once clear I was directed into the hanger, into another maintenance cradle that had probably been intended for one of the other GAT-X mobile suits. We were back in zero gravity, so I opened the hatch and climbed out, angling for the door out of the hanger before I kicked off. I saw Lieutenant La Flaga and Chief Murdock, but I was so mentally and physically drained that I pretty much ignored them in my mindless quest for a bed.

Reaching the enlisted quarters that had been assigned to me and the others, I dropped onto one of the bunks and rolled onto my side. Torii, my mechanical bird, landed on my shoulder and whispered, "Birdy," in my ear. Hearing that reminded me of home, and brought a tear to my eye. Not really knowing what I was going to say, I started with, "I'm . . ." but wasn't able to finish the sentence before sleep took me.

It had been nearly 24 hours since I had woken up on Heliopolis, just another college coed taking classes and working on projects. Nearly 15 hours since the ZAFT attack on Heliopolis, and 11 hours since we arrived at Artemis. In that time I had flow four separate combat engagements, killing one person, tweaked the Strike's OS three times, oversaw repairs to its armor and frame, and contributed to the destruction of both the colony of Heliopolis and the Eurasian Federation fortress of Artemis.

It had been a very long day.

End Episode Six

NOTE: Okay, so there are a few changes to this episode. I never understood the accusations of 'betraying the Coordinators' affecting Kira so badly. If he were a citizen of the PLANTs, sure, that would make sense, but he's a citizen of the Orb Union. He wasn't being accused of betraying Orb, and I'd already established that he thought Athrun was talking like a racist. Hence, the Kool-Aid references. Looking at the timeline it made more sense for Kira to be tired more than anything else as I liken piloting a mobile suit to driving in a demolition derby.


	7. The Scar in Space

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Seven: The Scar of Space

Date: January 28th, C.E. 71

"This is the captain," the voice of Murrue Ramius called from all the internal speakers of the _Archangel_, "We have successfully evaded the _Laurasia_-class frigate that has been following us."

A cheer went up, causing me to miss what the captain said next, but Chief Murdock called out, "You heard her; let's make sure everything is put away and get some sleep."

It had been a day since the destruction of the Eurasian Federation fortress, Artemis, during which time we had slowly put more distance between ourselves and the ZAFT warship that had been trying to track us. There had been a tense moment when two additional ZAFT ships had seemed to be part of the detection net, but those two had stopped at the shattered remains of the asteroid military base to pick over the pieces. Using the _Archangel's_ speed advantage, we had run at low-power to avoid detection. Now that we had successfully eluded detection, the ship's massive thrusters could be used, and we could make for an Atlantic Federation or another Earth Alliance base.

Now that we were out of immediate danger I could get out of the blue flight suit I'd been wearing for too long and put on another Atlantic Federation uniform. At a wall terminal in the pilot's ready room, I requested, "Could Sai and the others join me in the hanger? I want to make some modifications to the Gundam's MOS."

Ensign Badgiruel, the ship's Weapons Officer, responded, "I'll send them down right away."

"Thank you."

The project of the day was the Strike's targeting system – in the last couple of engagements I hadn't been able to hit the broad side of a barn. A part of the reason was because I had no formal training, but another part of it was the incomplete targeting program. In its original configuration, the O.M.N.I. Enforcer mobile suit operating system had only allowed for rough movement. When I had first been forced to rewrite the MOS it had improved the Strike's operation, and with the other's help I'd been able to stabilize the system for operation in the resource colony, Heliopolis. Later we had made modifications for zero-g and vacuum operation.

After the last battle with the stolen GAT-X series mobile suits I hadn't had the time until now to work with my friends to fix the targeting system.

Sai Argyle, Tolle Koenig, Miriallia Haw, and Kuzzey Buskirk, had been working with me on the O.M.N.I. Enforcer program under Professor Kato as part of our studies at the Heliopolis Technical College. Genius' in their own rights, they helped me decompile the series of programs that operated the mobile suit, debugging a few, and then recompiling them into the operating system. As we were finishing up, I told them, "Thanks guys; I couldn't have done this without out."

"Do you want us to stick around until you're done?" Tolle asked, leaning in to watch as I typed.

"No, all that's left is the security program, and then I have to approve the maintenance logs," I told my roommate. "Go ahead, and I'll meet you in the mess hall."

"That sounds like a good idea," Kuzzey said, rubbing his stomach. "I wonder if they'll allow us more water now that we're out of danger."

Cheerfully, Miriallia enthused, "Let's go see."

As they drifted off I continued working, installing a simpler, yet much faster, security program into the operating system to prevent the theft of the mobile suit. It would basically default back to the original MOS, making it nearly impossible to move the Gundam, let alone steal it. With that done I could turn to checking the maintenance, signing off on the repairs to the damage from the battle inside Artemis' harbor. Finally, I could follow my friends to the mess.

In the mess I found all my friends sitting around one table. At the head of the table was Tolle, with Miriallia sitting next to him and Kuzzey on her other side. Sai and Flay Allster, Sai's fiancé, were sharing the other side of the table, but I noticed the space between them. Could they be on the outs, I wondered, my heart picking up its pace at the thought of hooking up with Flay if Sai dropped the ball.

Tolle broke that train of thought by asking, "Are you finished with the Strike's maintenance?"

"Yeah," I sighed, scratching at my stiff hair. Due to the water restrictions I hadn't been able to take a shower, and my hair was starting to get stiff. "But limited use of the washer just makes things so much more burdensome."

Most of the work had been cleaning out the joints of the mobile suit – a job that took an hour with the right equipment, and took far longer without.

Sai scooted over so that he was seated next to Flay and nudged her with his shoulder. The young woman stood and said demurely, "Uh, Kira? I'm sorry for what happened the other day. I said those things without really thinking."

"About what?" I wondered

"While at Artemis," she clarified, "I said that you're a Coordinator."

Right, that. I wasn't the type to hold grudges, and I had managed to be in the Strike when the Blitz attacked Artemis, so everything had worked out. "Oh, never mind that," I told her. "I'm not upset about it. Besides, it's true."

She sounded relieved when she said, "Thank you."

I noticed the glasses on the table then – less than half full, and likely all the water that we would get with our meal. The _Archangel_ had been unable to be resupplied at Artemis as the Eurasian Federation military had thought to detain the ship indefinitely, to study both it and the Strike. Rationing had been announced yesterday, and I looked like it would remain in effect for the entire trip.

What do the captain and officers plan to do, I wondered.

For the time being all that I could do was take a tray of prepared meals and try to choke it down with the scant amount of water I was provided. Once done, the others had to head back to the bridge to finish out their shifts while I headed to the pilot's ready room to study. Even though we had left the _Laurasia_-class and the stolen GAT-X series mobile suits behind I still felt the need to understand more about them in case they caught up with us. Their commander seemed to have an uncanny knack for predicting our movements, so Lieutenant La Flaga had agreed, as had the captain, though Ensign Badgiruel had objected.

The GAT-X102 Duel and X103 Buster shared the same frame as the Strike, the X105, and had the ability to mount additional weapons. X102 Duel had been designed primarily for short to medium range combat, possessing a pair of beam sabers, a shield, and a beam rifle with an underslung rocket. It was supposed to have additional close-in weapons, but those had been left of Heliopolis. Likewise, the X103 Buster had been designed for a particular combat role, that of artillery support, and was equipped with a 350mm electromagnetic rail gun and an anti-armor shotgun that could be combined into a hyper impulse long-range sniper rifle. Additional weapons included a beam rifle and two 220mm six-barrel missile pods, mostly as defensive weapons.

In a radical departure from the others, the GAT-X207 Blitz and X303 Aegis could not equip additional weaponry, but did have capabilities the others did not. As I had seen in the battle while approaching Artemis, the X303 Aegis could transform into a mobile armor with four long limbs designed to hold other mobile suits and either sprint them out of combat or blast them with a beam cannon at the base of the limbs. The X207's ability was called 'Mirage Colloid', which coated the mobile suit in particles that warped light and sensor readings around it. We were all fairly sure that was how ZAFT forces had infiltrated Artemis, waiting until the Armore Lumiare light-wave barrier had been closed and then getting under that defense without the Eurasian forces realizing it.

"All auxiliary crew members to the bridge," the captain's voice called over the internal speakers.

Putting away my reading, I headed out, wondering what this was about, and hoping it wasn't more rationing.

Some of the other refugees from Heliopolis and volunteered their talents, though must had been put to use in the maintenance or engineering departments. I joined them and the mix of enlisted personnel at the front of the bridge so that the officers could address us. Captain Murrue Ramius sat in the central command chair, with Lieutenant Mu La Flaga floating in zero-g behind her, and Ensign Natarle Badgiruel seated to one side. The separation between the two female officer seemed to be a definition of their characters – the two got along because they had to, but were quite divided in their opinions.

"We think we know where to get supplies," the captain announced.

"Supplies," Tolle repeated.

Sai added, "We can get supplies? Where?"

Lieutenant La Flaga corrected, "Get supplies, yes. Or, more accurately, take supplies."

"We're currently on our way to the debris belt," Ramius explained.

Confused, Tolle asked, ""Debris Belt"?"

The term meant more to Sai than the rest of us, and he blurted out, "But . . . wait a minute! You're not saying . . ."

"You're pretty bright," the lieutenant complemented, though he wagged his finger as he did so.

"The debris belt," the captain offered the rest of us, "consists of a wide variety of things drifting in space. Of course, that includes ships that have been destroyed in battle."

Tolle voiced what we were probably all thinking, "You're not suggesting we get our supplies from . . ."

"What other choice do we have?" Mu interrupted before the word 'dead' could be spoken aloud. "Unless we do, we're not gonna last."

Going on, the captain laid out, "Once we're there, we'd like you to help us with work outside the ship, using pods."

Seeing our reluctance, Ensign Badgiruel added, "We're not too delighted about this either. But we have no other choice, if we wanna survive."

In an effort to reassure us, Murrue put in, "We're not going there to hunt around for things that others have lost. We're just going to take a small share of what we're in immediate need of. In order to live."

Looking to my friends, I could see that even though none of us liked it, we all understood the necessity. We agreed, and were given our assignments. I would be flying over-watch in the Strike with Lieutenant La Flaga in his Mobius Zero, while those rated for it would pilot MAW-01 Mistral mobile worker pods. The two-seater mobile armors weren't designed for combat, though sometimes they were up-armored and outfitted with weapons, and had four grasper arms for industrial work in zero gravity.

The debris belt was an artificial ring around the planet Earth, made up of things left behind by humanity during our colonization of space. As Lieutenant La Flaga had said, this included whole ships that had been drawn into the stable gravitational field and held there. We needed ship-to-ship weapons, food, but most importantly water, and we hoped to find all of that in the warships that had been caught up in the belt over the past year.

What we found, though, none of us were prepared for.

Giving voice to our astonishment, Tolle gasped, "Why, this is . . . A continent? Out here?"

Beneath us, amid debris like cars and farming equipment, was a landmass the size of a small continent, perfectly circular and bordered by massive spires of twisted metal. We could see houses, shops, and other buildings, almost perfectly preserved in the vacuum. "Junius Seven," I said aloud, realizing that the debris we were seeing was the PLANT destroyed by Earth Alliance forces the previous year – the Bloody Valentine that had turned a witch-hunt for PLANT Committee Chairman Siegal Clyne into the Bloody Valentine War.

From what I understood, the reasoning behind the barbaric act had been to cow the PLANTs into submitting, with the threat that the other PLANTs could be destroyed at leisure. Unfortunately for the Earth Forces, they'd underestimated the public opinion backlash that was to follow: the people of Earth demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities. Outraged by the deaths of over 200,000 people, almost entirely Coordinators, the PLANT Supreme Council had given ZAFT permission to launch attacks on Earth, and so the war had begun.

In the lead Mistral Ensign Badgiruel ordered, "01, 02, Strike, land and perform a cursory search. The other Mistrals will continue on.

We all repeated our understanding, and then landed to perform our grim task. The vacuum of space was excellent for preserving the bodies of the dead, and there were plenty of dead to be found. Opening doors we found mothers clutching their children, and other scenes that seemed to drive the point of how horrible war could be into our hearts.

"We're withdrawing," Ensign Badgiruel ordered. "Everyone, back to the ship."

Onboard ship we were recalled to the bridge – the other Mistrals had completed a cursory search of nearby ships. They had found everything we needed except for:

"That water other there?" I asked, pointing out the bridge viewport towards the remains of Junius Seven. "Are you serious?"

"There's close to a hundred million tons of water frozen over on it," Ensign Badgiruel pointed out.

I countered, "But you saw for yourself, didn't you, Ms. Badgiruel? That PLANT is where hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives. And yet . . ."

"That's the only water we've been able to find," the captain interrupted.

Lieutenant La Flaga put in, "No one's jumping for joy. No one's shouting, "Horray! We found water!"

He was right, of course, I had to give him that.

"Nobody wants to step onto that graveyard if it can be helped," he stressed, "But it can't be helped! We're alive! That means we must continue to live!"

"Water only," Sai clarified, and the military officers were quick to agree.

Miriallia spoke up, adding, "I'd also like to do a tribute to the dead. Maybe . . . scatter some paper flowers over the colony?"

The captain nodded, agreeing, "I think that would be appropriate. You could get the other refugees to help you."

Knowing that we were going to honor the loss of life helped assuage our guilt over what we were about to do, which most of us agreed was akin to grave robbing, but it was something that had to be done. We were given a couple of hours to clear our heads before heading back out, and most of us spent that time helping Miriallia and Flay fold origami flowers. The ceremony was solemn, with little fanfare and only a few words said by the captain, apologizing for the loss of life and pledging not to make the mistakes of the past – never again would so many be lost for no reason.

After that, it was back to work, harvesting the ice that had been formed when the island-like formation of the PLANT had been flash-frozen. Mistrals outfitted with cutting belts did that work, while the others ferried supplies from the wreckage of ships that drifted past. We were all quiet as we worked, or in my case, patrolled.

In his Mobius Zero, Lieutenant La Flaga and I make a circuit around the near-perfect circle that was the ruins of Junius Seven, mostly calling out likely prospects but also keeping an eye out for scavengers that were said to frequent this area of space.

"How much longer," Captain Ramius asked over the radio.

And the lieutenant answered, "I'd say about four hours. Although we'll have enough ammunition with one more trip."

I paused in my patrol when I spotted something out of the ordinary. "A civilian ship?" I wondered as it drifted out from behind a larger piece of debris. "It must've been sunk."

That did beg the question: what was a civilian ship doing running the gauntlet of the debris belt, but I didn't have much time to really consider the subject. My sensor board registered heat and movement, zeroing in on a mobile suit that maneuvered out from behind the ship. Taking cover, I watched as the computer identified the mobile suit as a ZGMF-LRR 704B.

"A reconnaissance-type two-seater GINN?!" I remembered from my studies. "What's it doing here?"

Possessing more powerful sensors than a standard GINN – the mainstay of the ZAFT mobile suits – there was the potential for the Recon-GINN to discover the ship, and, "If it finds the _Archangel_ and calls for backup, we're finished," I reasoned.

Taking aim, I watched as the GINN started to pull away, withdrawing slowly backwards. "Go!" I begged, even though the ZAFT mobile suit and pilots couldn't hear me, "Go away! Just leave."

The GINN turned, and began to maneuver away. Letting go of the trigger I sighed, "Good," but then one of the Mistrals drifted between me and the other mobile suit.

"You fool!" I cursed as the ZAFT machine detected the heat and motion of the mobile worker pod and turned, bringing its rifle to bear. It was unlikely that they would identify the pod as belonging to the Earth Alliance, more likely assuming that it belonged to scavengers, but he would likely investigate. "Why'd you have to notice?"

"I've gotta . . ." I told myself, reluctant to pull the trigger.

The ZAFT pilot had no such reluctance, and pulled the trigger, missing the first shot and landing a glancing blow with the second. I heard Kuzzey and Mr. Chandra's voices crying out in alarm and steeled myself for what I had to do. Pulling the trigger I managed to blow the left arm off of the GINN, and retargeting I put the next two shots center mass.

A fire erupted where the cockpit of the two-seater mobile suit had once been, secondary explosions taking out the rest of the machine.

Over the radio I heard Kuzzey call out, "Thanks, Kira!"

"I seriously thought I was going to die," Crewman Chandra added.

I should have warned them, I realized. I should have called out to the Mistrals to stop until the GINN had left the area. Those deaths, those two people, the would have left – their deaths, just like the deaths of all the people on Junius Seven had been a tragic waste. And this time, I had been the one to pull the trigger.

"Kid!" Mu called over the radio, "What hap . . .?"

Turning off the radio, I slammed my fists against the console, silently cursing myself for not warning the others. My total kill count was now up to 3, but unlike the death of the GINN pilot on Heliopolis these two could have been avoided. I was in that mindset when the sensors picked up another heat/motion carry, along with a distress signal, and I looked up to see what they were focused on.

"A lifepod?" I wondered. It was small, only large enough for one or two people at most, but it definitely hadn't come from the mobile suit. The civilian ship, maybe?

Bringing the radio back online, I called out, "Strike to _Archangel_, I've found a lifepod that is transmitting a distress signal and am bringing it onboard."

There was a pause before Captain Ramius answered, "Permission granted, Strike. Mistrals, finish up what you're doing and return to the ship."

I followed orders, belatedly realizing that I should have asked permission instead of making a declaration, but I'd felt so guilty about wasting two lives that I'd felt compelled to save a life if I could.

Back inside the ship, I changed out of my flight suit while Chief Murdock worked to unlock the lifepod. As it was of a ZAFT design, four crewmen with rifles were called, and we were joined by Ensign Badgiruel, who accused, "You must really enjoy bringing back things that others left behind," the captain, and a couple of my friends. The last being mostly curious.

"I'm opening it," the chief called out, running a security algorithm through his electronic bypass while the security officers took aim.

The armored door flipped up, and a secondary door/ramp lowered. At first, nothing happened. And then a pink robot a little larger than a softball emerged from the lifepod, opening and closing flaps to propel itself through the air while chanting, "Haro. Haro."

It past me, still chanting, "Haro. Lacus. Haro."

A girl's voice brought my attention back to the lifepod: "Thank you. I appreciate your assistance."

She was beautiful, with long, flowing pink hair and large dark-blue eyes that seemed to sparkle with her gratitude. Wearing a designer dress – a white shoulderless top, with a lavender overskirt and long purple underskirt – she looked like she'd been attending some formal ceremony before being shoved into the lifepod. That she was a Coordinator was almost immediately obvious – her hair color combined with the perfect balance of her features. What really amazed me was that she could smile, even after her ship had been destroyed and she'd spent who knew how long in that pod.

I found myself wondering who she was, and wanting to know more about her.

End Episode Seven

NOTE: Not much happens in this episode, which is why I gave Kira time to research mobile suits and the other GAT-Xs. In my attempts to make him more realistic I've had him working with the other members of Professor Kato's seminar because I've already established that they are geniuses in their own rights, not just hangers-on. Hopefully that makes sense. If not, be sure to tell me in the comments!


	8. The Songstress of the Enemy

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Eight: The Songstress of the Enemy

Date: January 30th, C.E. 71

I didn't know what the officers of the Atlantic Federation warship _Archangel_ had expected to find when they opened the lifepod, but I was pretty sure that it wasn't a pink articulated ball chanting, "Haro. Haro." The little robot flapped its arm covers like wings to keep its orientation in zero gravity as we all let it pass us.

"Haro. Lacus. Haro," it repeated as it past me.

A girl's voice pulled my attention away from the toy, and I looked back at the pod to see a beautiful young woman drifting out of it. "Thank you," she called out to the gathering, "I appreciate your assistance."

She had long pink hair, accented by a pair of gold chevrons holding her left bang away from her large blue eyes. "Huh?" she intoned as she looked around, taking in the hanger with a startled expression.

"Huh? Huh?" the young woman repeated, her toy robot echoing, "Haro. Haro. Haro," as if reminding her of its name. "Haro. Lacus."

By this point she was drifting past me, and I reached out a hand, catching her arm near the elbow and gently pulling her to the deck. "Haro. Haro," the robot cheered, as its owner said, "Thank you," with such genuine affection that I found myself blushing in response.

"Uh, no problem," I told her.

She seemed to demure, dropping her eyes from mine, but that just caused her to look for something else to look at, her attention catching on the Atlantic Federation patch on the left shoulder of my uniform. "Huh?" she exclaimed, and was echoed by the pink robot, "Haro."

Looking at the assembly of officers she repeated, "Huh? Huh?" Gently pulling free of me she noted, "Oh, my. This is not a ZAFT ship, is it?"

"Is that so?" her pink robot asked.

Ensign Badgiruel put her hand on her forehead, while the captain asked, "Pardon?"

"I think," Lieutenant La Flaga said, taking control of the situation, "That we should talk in private. Captain, Ensign, Miss."

With regal bearing, the young woman responded, "I believe that would be best, sir." She looked around, though, taking in the mobile suit standing against one wall next to a mobile armor, an expression of curiosity flitting across her features before she settled into a slight smile.

A lot of us followed, wondering about the young woman and curious about her story. The security detail, the only four security officer on the ship, were excused to return to their regular duties, making an opening for Tolle, Kuzzey, and Sai, along with Crewmen Chandra and Tonomura, to press their ears against the door, trying to listen in. I stood back, not because I wasn't curious, or because my hearing was any better, but because the five of them had the door pretty well covered.

"What are they saying?" Tolle whispered.

"I can't hear!" Kuzzey complained. "Shut up, Tolle."

"Will you guys be quiet?" Sai admonished them both.

It reminded me of something out of a sitcom, but wasn't quite as funny when the door opened to reveal the black haired Weapons Officer, Ensign Natarle Badgiruel glaring at all of us. "You guys haven't finished loading yet!" she practically growled. "Get back to work right now!"

The guys scattered, leaving me standing on the opposite side of the hall. Through the door I could see the pink-haired girl, who smiled as if happy to see me and waved. Not knowing what to do when a girl takes notice of me, I turned and retreated down the hallway. I too had work undone – we still needed to bring in the ice that we'd been harvesting from the ruins of Junius Seven, and I definitely wanted to take a shower before I encountered the young woman again.

Changing out into my flight suit, I took the Strike out, helping to bring in the larger blocks of ice which would have required two or more Mistral mobile worker pods to maneuver. I worked as quickly as I could, knowing that a lot of people were waiting on the water – we had been on short rations the last few days. The work was not difficult, though, which left me with a lot of time to think about the pink-haired girl and her situation.

It was only later, after all the ice had been brought aboard, that I realized that the GINN that I had shot down might have been looking for her. Again, I was assaulted by the guilt: if I had just called in the sighting I might not have had to shoot down the mobile suit, killing the two pilots within.

From the mess hall, I heard Flay's voice exclaiming, "No way!" and as I continued down the hall Miriallia admonished, "Flay!"

However, Flay as adamant, "When I say no way, I mean no way!"

"Why not," Miriallia demanded.

I stepped inside to find the two girls standing over a tray of food with Kuzzey a few steps back. To Kuzzey, I asked, "What's wrong?"

The youngest of my friends from Heliopolis Technical College answered, "It's about the girl's meal. Milly asked Flay to take it to her, but Flay refuses. That's all they're quarreling about."

Stubbornly, Flay maintained, "I'm not going to!" and then went on to reveal, "I'm too afraid to go near a Coordinator."

That was a stab, because I was a Coordinator.

"Flay!" Miriallia hissed, nodding towards me.

"O-Of course, it's different with you, Kira," she corrected herself. "I know that much. But that girl's with ZAFT, right?" The red-head reasoned, "Coordinators are not only smart, they're superior in other areas, too, like reflexes! What happens if I'm attacked? Right?"

Miriallia gave me a contrite look – Flay was pretty much describing me with that statement about intellect and physical abilities. Again, she admonished, "Flay!"

Kuzzey put in, "But I can't imagine that girl would suddenly pounce on you." He sounded like he wouldn't have minded being pounced on by the pink-haired young woman, but his words had merit.

Flay scathed, "You don't know that for sure! You can't determine the abilities of a Coordinator by just looking at them! What if she's really strong? Right?"

She was looking for validation, support for beliefs that she had picked up over the course of her lifetime. I was reminded again that Flay was from the Atlantic Federation, a government that was opposed to genetic modification, though they usually tolerated the genetically modified. There was nothing that I could say to counter her claim – usually, parents requested genetic modification for their children because they wanted to give their children stronger bodies or clearer minds. You couldn't tell what had been done just by looking at them.

Of course, it didn't help settle Flay's doubts that the subject of her fears spoke up, asking, "My, who's this really strong person you're talking about?"

We all turned and stared in surprise at the pink-haired young woman standing in the mess hall doorway, her pink ball robot cheering, "Haro. I'm fine. So are you."

Seeing our expressions of surprise, she apologized, "My, if I caused some sort of commotion, I apologize," going on to explain, "I'm thirsty. And please don't laugh when I say this. I'm quite hungry as well." Innocently she asked, "Is this the dining room?"

"Thank you. Thank you," the little robot cried as it bounced nearly shoulder level, flapping its arm flaps excitedly.

Coming around the table, she remarked, "I'd be very grateful if I could have a bite of something."

"But wait a minute," I exclaimed.

As if trying to get her attention the pink robot announced, "Haro. Lacus. Haro."

"Didn't they bother to lock her room?" Kuzzey wondered.

"This is nuts!" Flay agreed. "Why is someone from ZAFT allowed to walk around alone without permission?"

Innocently, the young woman explained, "But I had no intention of going out without permission. So I called out from my room. I said, "May I leave this room?" I asked three times."

The young woman reasoned, "Besides, I don't belong to ZAFT. ZAFT is the name of the military, and it stands for Zodiac Alliance of Freedom . . ."

Flay intrupted, "I-It makes no difference! You're still a Coordinator!"

"It is different," the pink-haired girl corrected. "Yes, I am a Coordinator," she confirmed, and then countered, "but I don't belong to the military." Looking Flay up and down, taking in the slightly rumpled pink dress the other was wearing, she noted, "You don't belong to the military either, do you?" On that line of logic the young woman deduced, "Then you and I are the same."

Holding out her hand, the young woman offered, "Excuse me for not introducing myself. I'm . . ."

Flay recoiled from the pink-haired girl, shrieking, "Hey! No! Stop it!" Actually holding her hands behind her back as if to prevent skin-to-skin contact. "You must be outta your mind!" the red-head remarked, sounding genuinely frightened. "Why should I have to shake hands with you? I don't want any Coordinators like you acting friendly to me!"

It was like she had taken my heart and crushed it. Flay was, well, one of the most beautiful girls I knew – I'd been in love with her from almost the first moment I'd laid eyes on her. What did she mean like that, though? Was I one of the Coordinators that she didn't want acting friendly with her? Suddenly it seemed like even if she broke up with Sai, Flay Allster would never go out with me.

"L-Let's take a step back," Miriallia reasoned, picking up the tray that was meant for our guest and handing it to me. "Kira, could you take Miss . . .?"

"My name is Lacus," the young woman offered, "Lacus Clyne."

"Could you take Miss Clyne back to her room?" my friend asked.

"Sure," I said, taking the tray.

Lacus fell in behind me, her pink robot bouncing as it followed, calling out, "Hello. Hello," to everyone we passed on our way back to the officer's quarters. "What? Whatever," it responded to some overheard conversation. "Let's play. I won't accept that."

I quickly realized that it was repeating phrases that it had picked up from Ms. Clyne over the years that it had been active.

"Must I stay here again?" the young woman moaned as we entered her assigned quarters.

"Thank you," the robot, Haro, responded, more reasonably. "Thank you."

Trying to sound reassuring, I advised, "Yes. You should."

The little robot swore in response, probably something Ms. Lacus had said when being told something similar in the past.

Pouting, she announced, "That's no fun," while taking a seat in one of the two desk chairs present in officer quarters. "I'm all alone here," she reasoned. "I'd prefer to enjoy my meal over there while talking with everybody."

Lacus, it seemed, was a very social person. I envied her that – for the longest time I had been the only one with genetic modifications my age. Told by my parents to keep my status as a Coordinator a secret had lead me to insulate myself against talking about it. A part of me wished that I could sit down and enjoy a meal with people, without the worry of saying something that would upset them.

"Good afternoon," the robot chimed.

Being reasonable, I explained, "This ship belongs to the Earth Forces. So there are many people who, well, don't think too highly about Coordinators." That wasn't quite true, because most of the crew had gotten to know me, and accepted me for who I was. Maybe a better explanation was, "Or, simply, the two sides are enemies."

I meant the Earth Alliance and PLANTs, but there were plenty of people who believed that the war was between 'Naturals' and 'Coordinators', the group known as Blue Cosmos, for example. They maintained that people who have their genes manipulated, even if they're not sick or anything like that are a mistaken existence that opposes nature's providence. Like the Klu Klux Klan of the previous era, they were quick to persecute any known Coordinator, which was why most kept their genetic status a secret, or immigrated to the PLANTs or neutral nations, like Orb.

The problem with their claim is that Coordinators do not choose to have their genes manipulated – that choice is made by their parents while their child is still in the zygotic stage of development. From what I understood, however, correcting a Blue Cosmos member on that point was provocation to them. More than one unmodified person had been beaten to death for coming to the defense of a genetically modified person – their prejudice was so ingrained.

"Lacus," Haro seemed to prompt.

"That's a shame," she sighed.

"You, too," the robot seemed to agree.

"But you're very kind," the young woman pointed out. "Thank you."

"I'm . . ." I hesitated before revealing, "I'm also a Coordinator."

"You, too," Haro repeated.

She cocked her head, remarking, "Is that right? But the reason you are kind," she reasoned, "Is that you are you, right?"

That was my belief, too; that genetic modification could only contribute to the person you become. I was kind to everyone, not just fellow Coordinators, which contradicted the hardline messages being spouted by both sides – that 'Naturals' and 'Coordinators' could never coexist. Just as easily, I could have hated my genetic status, could have been ashamed and tried to hide, and perhaps even hated my parents or other Coordinators, as others had.

"Would you mind telling me your name?" Lacus asked, reminding me that I'd not introduced myself.

"Ah, K-Kira," I responded. "Kira Yamato."

"Thank you," she told me, coyly adding, "Mr. Kira."

Blushing, I told her, "I'd better get going," and made my escape.

Outside the door I took a breath, trying to sort out my feelings, but was interrupted by Sai calling out my name. He ran up to my side and told me, "I heard from Miri.

Putting his hand on my shoulder, he cautioned, "Don't let it bother you. I'll talk to Flay later."

What was he talking about? Talk to Flay? I thought they were on the outs!

Behind us we heard through the door the young woman singing. Her voice was melodious, practiced, as she sang, _"In this quiet night . . . I'm here waiting for you. Forgetting the past . . . Your precious smile . . . has faded away. Since then . . . now that a little . . . time has passed . . . past memories . . . have over time . . . become more precious."_

She sang in such a melancholy tone that I wanted to step back into the room and comfort her.

_"I find myself, where the stars fall. Right here I wish . . . that you will once again be laughing."_

I wondered who she was singing about, because it seemed like she had someone in mind as she said the words.

_"Even today . . . even now."_

"What a beautiful voice," Sai remarked. Then he sighed, "But I can't help wondering if that voice is also . . . a result of fiddling with her genes."

He wasn't facing me, so he couldn't see the shock on my face. To me it was obvious that Lacus had spent many long hours learning tone and pitch, inflection and nuance, becoming the singer she was. Why was it so easy for people to believe that Coordinators like Lacus had everything easy – that they didn't have to train or practice? Just having a talent for something, even if that talent could be genetically coded, didn't mean that the person enjoyed the talent.

Listening to Lacus, I thought that all the hard work to perfect her voice must have been for some purpose – so that she could share her voice with others, probably. I had been studying all my life, trying to find my niche, so that I could share my knowledge with my community and my country. Lacus had found her niche, it seemed, but people were still prone to doubt us because they thought genetic modification was a cheat.

I wondered if Sai thought that's what I was. Some kind of cheat.

Changing the subject completely, my friend called out, "Okay, let's go. We've gotta get something to eat, too."

I followed him a few paces before saying, "Uh, you know what. Go ahead: I'm supposed to be meeting with Chief Murdock."

Sai seemed disappointed, and he frowned at me before nodding, "Don't forget that you have to eat, too, Kira. You're not a machine."

Genuine concern – that was reassuring. "I won't," I promised. "See you later."

"Yea, see you later, Kira," Sai said, turning and continuing to the mess hall.

I went the other way, heading towards the hanger with my head buzzing. Everyone was acting so strange, I thought as I entered the hanger and pushed off towards the gantry in front of the giant machine – the Strike Gundam. Chief Murdock, a middle-aged man wearing a two-tone white and orange jumpsuit, was performing maintenance.

"I'm sorry I'm late," I called out as I joined him.

"Oh, right," he said, coming out of whatever train of thought he'd been having. "I made changes to the standing geometry offset values," the chief explained. "I want you to check it over."

"Sure," I replied.

"Although you may never be using this guy again," he revealed. My look of confusion prompted him to explain, "I thought you'd have heard already – we're in contact with the _Montgomery_, of the 8th Fleet and are on our way to meet up with it. Once we're back with the fleet you and the other young people will be heading out with the refugees, right?"

"I suppose we will," I told him, looking up at the sleeping giant of a mobile suit.

End Episode Eight

NOTE: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making any money from this fan fiction. Again, an episode where nothing much happens. We learn that Flay sympathizes with Blue Cosmos and get to learn a little more about the new love interest. Please leave comments – I need the help if I'm going to develop the fan fiction.


	9. The Fading Light

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Nine: The Fading Light

Date: January 31st, C.E. 71

My fingers flew over the keyboard, typing out the commands as if by route, the changes to the X105 Strike's operating system being displayed on the main monitor. The academic pursuit was soothing, but it was rather ironic that I found that peace sitting in the cockpit of a machine built for war. I'd heard the term 'any port in a storm' from some of the older students at Heliopolis Technical College, in reference to various coeds. For some reason a mobile suit's cockpit was my port.

"Yo," a voice called out, and I leaned sideways so that I could see around the main monitor. It was Chief Petty Officer Murdock, the head of the maintenance division aboard the _Archangel_.

"What is it?" I asked, pushing up the monitor so that we could talk without leaning uncomfortably to one side.

He shrugged, responding, "Nothing, just wondering how it is."

"I'm just making a few adjustments to match the offset levels," I explained. The maintenance team had adjusted the standing geometry, and I wanted to make sure that the OS was adjusted to take in the new values. Then I realized that the Strike was likely to be stripped down for study, and added, "But I guess it's unnecessary."

Murdock leaned into the cockpit, uncomfortably close and with a slight reek of alcohol on his breath. "Go ahead and do what's needed," he said, his breath burning my nose as he patted me on the shoulder. "It's still your job until we safely join the others."

Pulling back, the chief added, "If you want, you're free to volunteer to remain in the military."

"Not a chance in hell," I muttered while resuming my work. I hated war, and would never have piloted the Strike in the first place if it hadn't been to protect my friends, and they would be disembarking with all the other once we reached the fleet.

Recompiling the OS, I finished up and put the Strike back into standby before grabbing a bite to eat and heading to bed. In recognition of my position as a pilot I had been assigned junior officer quarters. Technically, I shared the room with Lieutenant La Flaga, but he often slept in the pilot's ready room.

Junior officer quarters were identical, dual-occupancy spaces with actual doors, the two sides of the room being a mirror for the other. On either side of the door were a pair of desks, followed by two twin-sized beds separated by a narrow aisle, and wall lockers at the back of the room. The room was completely bare of personality because neither Lieutenant La Flaga nor I had anything to put up – though one of his girlie-magazines was sticking out from under his mattress.

My plan had been to get a few hours of sleep, but that was dashed when the alarms started sounding and a voice called over the PA, "All hands, level one battle stations! I repeat. All hands, level one battle stations!"

I threw my jacket back on and ran out of my room, passing a door that opened behind me to emit the voice of our most recent refugee's toy robot. "Hello. Hello."

Muttering, "Again?" I turned to talk with the young woman standing in the doorway.

Lacus Clyne's eyes were innocently wide but her voice was untroubled as she asked, "What is it? Things are suddenly lively around here."

"We're at battle stations. Now, go inside," I explained, and putting my hands on her shoulders I pushed her back into her room, wondering, "What's the matter with the lock on this room?"

Unfortunately, I'd forgotten about the pink, ball shaped robot, which was bouncing on my side opposite the door. "Haro. Haro. Haro. Haro," it repeated its name. "I won't accept that! I won't accept that!"

From what I understood the little robots, about the size of a softball, memorized and repeated phrases commonly spoken by their owners, leading me to believe that Miss Clyne had a backbone behind her doe-eyed looks.

"Battle stations?" Lacus exclaimed, coming back to the door. "My, are you entering a battle?"

"That's right," I explained. "Or we're already in one."

"Oh?" the pink Haro asked.

Sounding genuinely concerned, the young woman asked, "Will you be fighting, too, Mr. Kira?"

I changed the subject, telling her, "In any case, you are not to leave this room. Make sure of that this time." There seemed to be no point in trying to lock her in, so I left her there and ran for the lift to the hanger level.

Behind me, Haro called out, "You, too!"

Unfortunately, I didn't get far before I was stopped again.

"Kira!"

I stopped and turned to find Flay Allster running to join me. She'd smoothed out her hair and her dress since the last time I had seen her, and had done something to her face that made her look as fresh at the time I'd seen her before the collapse of Heliopolis.

"What's this about going to battle stations?" she demanded. "What about the advanced force?"

"I have no idea," I told her, wishing that I could tell her more. "I don't know what's going on.

She grabbed my arm when I tried to move on, asking, "It's gonna be okay, right? My papa's ship won't be destroyed, will it? Will it?"

A pair of blue flames seemed to flicker across my vision, and I thought: JINX!

The thought was funny, but I tried to turn that into a reassuring smile, telling the girl, "It'll be okay, Flay. Since we'll be there, too."

I meant all of us – myself in the Strike and Lieutenant La Flaga in his Mobius Zero, and Sai, Kuzzey, Miriallia and Tolle, on the bridge. She seemed to accept my reassurance and didn't stop me as I resumed my sprint down the hallway towards the hanger. A quick change into my flight suit and I was ready to board the Strike.

"You're late, Kid!" Chief Murdock accused.

"Sorry," I called back, wanting to add 'girl problems' but holding my tongue.

On the right auxiliary monitor Miriallia explained, _"The enemy consists of a _Nazca_-class, three GINNs, and the Aegis. Be careful."_

Sai popped up on the monitor to add,_ "Kira! Flay's father's with the advanced force. Please keep that in mind."_

"Sure thing," I promised.

The Strike's maintenance cradle was moved to the launch tube and lowered until the feet settle into the chalks while Miriallia counted off her checklist. _"Connected to catapult. Aile Striker, standby. Systems all green. Course clear. Go ahead, Strike."_

Although the chalks started the Strike moving, it was the electromagnetic mass driver was what really got the mobile suit going. I reached for the Phase Shift switch but hesitated, pulling my hand back and checking the sensor board. According to the sensors there were three Earth Alliance ships, the _Montgomery, Bernard, _and _Law_, the _Bernard _damaged beyond recovery. As I approached the Aegis in mobile armor mode used its "Scylla" 580mm multi-phase energy cannon to punch a whole through the _Law_, not quite sinking it, but doing massive damage.

Athrun Zala, in the Aegis, seemed to be the biggest threat, and I figured that if I could keep him occupied the _Montgomery_, Zero, and other mobile armors, could deal with the two remaining GINNs, while the _Archangel_ could handle the _Nazca_-class. Activating the PS armor, I closed the distance as the Aegis transformed from mobile armor to mobile suit. In this mode we were both equipped with beam rifles, anti-beam shields, and beam sabers, though the Aegis had more sabers than the Aile Striker.

There was no conversation, no attempt to make the other understand their reasons. It was both a blessing and a disappointment. Blessing, because I didn't have to hear him rant about this war being Natural verses Coordinator, and that I was betraying our people by siding with the Naturals. Disappointment, because I wanted my old friend to understand and accept my reasoning, and to back off until my friends were out of harm's way. Athrun realized that I was coming after him and responded accordingly, going on the offensive as he had no doubt been trained to do.

We fired our rifles and dodged in the same moment, fired and dodged again and again, occasionally deflecting a beam blast with our shields. It was all that I could do to keep my old friend from shooting me down as we exchanged volleys. Beneath us the _Law _exploded, the sensors showing that the Zero was limping back towards the _Archangel_.

I drew a beam saber from the thruster pack on the Strike's back and Athrun deployed the saber built into his right arm. We clashed, saber to shield, each trying to overwhelm the heat-tolerance on the other's shield, except that an alarm had me breaking off contact before that could happen. A GINN, trying to take advantage of the distraction, few through the space we had been occupying. We came at each other again, slamming energy sabers against shields, and as we parted the Aegis switched into mobile armor mode to fire its Scylla energy cannon.

Dodging, I managed to get clear for a moment, but the red X303 switched back into mobile suit mode and came at me again. We clashed, and as we parted I fired the anti-air Vulcans in the Strike's head, trying to break the cycle of combat. My board showed good energy – I hadn't been as wasteful as our last engagement – but if this carried on for too much longer I'd end up in another 'Phase Shift Down' situation.

Beneath us, one of the GINNS fired on the _Montgomery_, taking out that ship's primary beam cannon turrets, and looking for the other I saw that it was going after the _Archangel_ only to be turned around by the ship's formidable anti-mobile suit defenses. Lieutenant La Flaga's damaged Zero had already fled the battlefield, and the last of the Earth Alliance mobile armors was nothing more than a rapidly expanding cloud of debris.

A flash of green – the _Nazca_-class destroyer had managed to get into range with its beam cannons despite the _Archangel's_ intervention. The twin lances of energy struck the _Montgomery_ broadside, punching identical holes through the ship. Unlike the _Law_, which had been able to fight after taking a blast from the Scylla, the lead ship of the advanced fleet began exhibiting secondary explosions immediately and blew apart.

No, I thought, Flay's father was aboard that ship!

Both GINNs were now free to attack the _Archangel_, and were headed that way when Ensign Badgiruel's voice called over a broad spectrum of radio frequencies: "_Attention, ZAFT forces! This is the_ Archangel _of the Earth Alliance Forces!"_

For a moment I thought that she'd assumed command, and was signaling surrender, but no. _"Currently in the care of this ship,"_ she announced, _"is PLANT Supreme Chairman Siegel Clyne's daughter, Lacus Clyne!"_

_"We came across a lifepod with her on board,"_ the ensign explained, _"and took her in, for humanitarian reasons."_

_"However, should you decide to attack this ship . . . we shall consider that as an abandonment," _she warned,_ "of your responsibilities to protect Miss Clyne. We will then take care of this situation as we see fit!"_

End Episode Nine

NOTE: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making any money off this fan fiction. Not many changes this episode, other than a Genie's Trap reference. Honestly, I'm not sure if Flay blurting out, "My papa's ship won't be destroyed, will it?" is supposed to be foreshadowing or just bad writing, but when I realized what she'd said my immediate thought was "JINX!" so I included it. Questions, comments, and suggestions, are welcome – just leave them in the box below.


	10. Crossroads

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Ten: Crossroads

Date: January 31st, C.E. 71

My radio cracked to life, the voice of Athrun Zala accusing me, "Using a rescued civilian as a hostage? Can 'Your Righteousness' fight alongside these cowards?" When I didn't respond immediately he shouted my name.

"Athrun . . .," I started, but my old friend cut me off.

"I'm going to save her," he swore. "You can count on it!"

With that, he turned his mobile suit around and headed back towards the _Nazca_-class destroyer that had ended combat operations. It was too late, however, as the three ships of the 8th Fleet's advanced forces continued to tumble through space. Doing a quick sweep I checked for lifepods, hoping that we could salvage something from so much loss of human life, but no. The secondary explosions from the reactors of the _Montgomery, Bernard_, and _Law_, had overwhelmed the thin hulls of the Earth Alliance lifepods and killed the occupants.

Turning around as well, I headed back to the _Archangel_, wondering what had happened. Why hadn't the ship been able to hold the _Nazca_-class? Why had the ensign used Lacus as a human shield and why had the captain allowed her to do it? More importantly, what was going to happen to Lacus now?

Miriallia called the landing, and it wasn't long before the Strike was back in its maintenance cradle and being repositioned next to Lieutenant La Flaga's mobile armor, a Mobius Zero space-superiority fighter with four outrigger weapons pods. The lieutenant himself was hanging around, admonishing the maintenance crew, "Hurry! We're not exactly done fighting!"

"I know!" Chief Petty Officer Murdock growled. "Man, is this ship cursed, or what?

"The curse is Le Creuset," La Flaga answered. From what I understood, the two of them, Mu La Flaga and Rau Le Creuset, had been in battle many times, to the point that Mu claimed he could sense Rau. I didn't know what to make of that: maybe they were twins separated at birth?

Joining them, I asked, "What the hell was that?"

Lieutenant La Flaga actually looked annoyed as he answered, "There's not much to explain. You heard for yourself. That's what happened."

He kicked off through zero-g, and I followed. "Taking that girl as a hostage and threatening them?" I pointed out. "Do the Earth Forces typically run from enemies like this?"

His expression had turned from annoyed to angry as he looked back at me. "The reason that they had to resort to such cowardly actions," he explained, "is because we're weak, right?"

That caught me off guard, but he wasn't wrong.

"Neither of us has the right to criticize the captain or the combat commander," he reasoned, though he didn't look too happy with his line of reasoning. I got the feeling that he was going to criticize both, but was waiting for a closed door before he aired his opinion to them.

I had to bite my tongue, having neither the rank nor the experience to do the same.

We changed in the pilot's ready room, and while Mu headed off to confront his fellow officers I went to check on Lacus, to make sure that she was alright. On my way, I heard the sound of a girl crying, and I broke into a sprint until I reached a Junior Officer Quarters door that was being kept ajar by a water bottle. Inside, I found Miriallia standing over Sai Argyle, who was holding Flay Allster in his arms as they sat on the floor.

Flay was crying, "This isn't real. This isn't happening. It can't be!"

"Kira," Miriallia tried to warn me as I stepped further into the room.

A part of me wished I were there on the floor, comforting her instead of Sai, but the moment was wrong for idol fantasies. She was in pain, and she needed all the sport that her friends could give her. I thought of myself as her friend, so I said her name, meaning to apologize for not being able to defend the _Montgomery._

"Liar!" she accused me, tears filling her grey eyes as she glared at me.

The force of her anger had me taking a half step back in fear.

"You said it was gonna be alright!" the girl shouted. "You said so, because you'd be there!"

I had said that, or something similar, and I turned away as the memory of my own failure struck me again.

She demanded to know, "Why didn't you protect Papa's ship? Why didn't you defeat those guys?!"

Coming to my defense, Miriallia countered, "Flay! Kira did his best!"

Yes, I had done my best to keep the Aegis busy so that it couldn't continue damaging the ships of the advanced force. Why hadn't the _Archangel_ been able to keep the _Nazca_-class contained? Why had the captain and ensign taken Lacus Clyne hostage?

"Because you're a Coordinator, too," Flay accused, breaking me out of my distraction, "you're not fighting seriously, are you?"

That stung, because it was partially true – I'd been trying to contain the Aegis, not trying to seriously destroy it because I'd known that my skill at mobile suit piloting wasn't enough. Athrun had undergone advanced military training, that was the meaning of the red flight suit I had seen him in on Heliopolis. In mobile suit combat he was the superior, whereas my strength came from my understanding of how the mobile suit worked.

Flay turned back to Sai, crying into his chest, "Papa. Bring Papa back to me. Bring Papa . . . back!"

"Flay . . ." I said again, meaning to apologize, but being unable to find the words. I was no good with words, I'd never been good with words; so I turned and ran away.

Behind me Miriallia called my name, but I kept running.

I went to one of my favorite places, the rear observation balcony, remembering Athrun's accusation, _"Using a rescued civilian as a hostage? Can 'Your Righteousness' fight alongside these cowards?"_

Mu's words, _"The reason they had to resort to such cowardly actions . . . is because we're weak, right?"_

Flay's accusation, _"Because you're a Coordinator, too, you're not fighting seriously, are you?"_

Reaching the aft observation balcony, with its wide windows looking out over the open space behind the ship. There, I tried to voice the impudent fury I felt at the situation, but what came out instead as a strangled cry as tears spilled from my eyes. After three full breaths of screams a voice broke in, asking, "What's the matter?"

I looked up to see Lacus Clyne staring at me with an expression of sympathy on her face, her pink haro cursing. She cocked her head, considering me for a moment before reaching up to wipe a tear from my cheek. Hastily I scrubbed my face with my sleeve, embarrassed at being caught crying.

"What are you doing out here?" I wondered. Last I had heard, she was still supposed to be confined to quarters, but so far neither concern for her wellbeing nor locked doors had been enough to keep her in her room.

"I was taking a stroll," she explained, pushing back to get a little distance, "when I heard a loud voice from this direction."

With a blush, I realized that I had been the reason that she'd come this way, but I reasoned, "You shouldn't be walking around on your own like this. You'll be accused of spying."

"Oh?" she wondered, probably seeing through my bravado. Coming closer and catching my hand to steady herself, she explained, "But Mr. Pink here . . ."

"Haro," the haro corrected.

". . . loves to take walks," she finished. Then she mused, "Or, in fact, if a door's locked, he will always open it and go out."

"I won't accept that!" the pink robot, about the size and shape of a softball, exclaimed while flapping its arm covers to move through the low-g environment.

"In any case," I countered, "let's go back to your room. Come on." I reached out my hand, offering to escort her, but she pushed away again.

"The fighting has come to an end, I see," Lacus commented as she drifted away.

"Well, yes," I agreed. "Thanks to you."

"Yet you have a very sad expression," the young woman noted.

"Well," I admitted, "the truth is that I really don't want to fight. I'm also a Coordinator," was my reasoning, "and Athrun was a very close friend of mine."

Lacus prompted, "Athrun?"

"Athrun Zala," I explained. Darkly, I wondered, "Who would've dreamed that he'd become the pilot of that mobile suit, the Aegis?"

After a moment, she remarked, "Is that so?" Hopping forward, took both my hands before saying, "Both Athrun and you are good people. That is a very sad reality."

With a start, I asked, "Do you know Athrun?"

Cheerfully, she explained, "Athrun Zala is the person I will eventually marry."

What? Well, that figured – all the girls my age seemed to be in committed relationships: Miriallia was dating Tolle and Flay was actually engaged to Sai. Now I found out that Lacus was engaged to Athrun. I was starting to see a pattern in my life.

"He's a kind person, but very quiet," she went on.

She reached out and caught the drifting robot, which repeated its name, before explaining, "But he gave me this Haro."

"Haro, Haro," the robot cheered.

Smiling at the sweet memory, she added, "I told him how much I enjoyed Haro . . . and he gave me lots of them."

I could just imagine Athrun spending hours modifying the little robot, both its articulation and programming – that was probably why the little toy knew so many words. "Is that so?" I sighed, feeling cheered by the thought. "Athrun hasn't changed one bit."

"My Birdy," I went on, "He made that, too." Even though it could only say one word, it could manage different inflections.

"Oh, is that so?" Lacus exclaimed.

The pink Haro cursed again, perhaps in objection to not being the first robot gifted.

My good humor drained out of me, however, leaving me to mutter bitterly, "But . . ."

Lacus finished for me, "It would be so nice if you two would no longer have to fight each other."

All I could do was nod, and hold out my hand again to escort her back to her room. My own quarters were only a couple of doors down, and after dropping her off I went to my room. Lieutenant La Flaga was asleep in his bed, for once, so I quietly curled up on my bed, my knees against my chest as I tried to sort out my feelings.

Torii, the Birdy that Athrun had made for me all those years ago, perched on my shoulder, chirping, "Birdy. Birdy. Birdy?" Uncurling, I held out a hand and allowed the little robot, like a green and yellow finch, to hop onto my hand.

Staring into its little eyes, I remembered Lacus telling me, _"Athrun Zala is the person I will eventually marry."_

"This just plain isn't right!" I told no one in particular.

It wasn't right that we were holding Lacus hostage. It wasn't right that Athrun and Lacus should be separated, especially not when Lacus seemed so certain about the relationship.

Getting up, I slipped back out of my room and headed for Lacus'. The door was unlocked, so I was able to slip inside to find the young woman asleep on her bed. Unfortunately, my daring, half-thought up plan hit its first hurdle when the pink Haro on the desk chimed, "Haro. No problem. No problem."

"Shhh," I warned it.

"What is it, Haro?" Lacus asked as she woke.

The robot swore as the young woman took in my presence. "Huh? Mr. Kira. What is the problem?"

"Please, don't say anything and come with me," I warned. "Be very quiet."

She dressed quickly while I kept lookout, and then together we crept through the enlisted compartments that were full of sleeping refugees, the Haro miraculously silent as it bounced along in our wake. However, I spotted a second complication, and pushed Lacus behind a bulkhead door jamb to hide her from Sai, who turned out to be waiting for Miriallia outside one of the alcoves assigned to female refugees.

He spotted me, calling out, "Kira?"

I put on my best, 'nothing to see here' expression, only to have Haro exclaim, "No problem. No problem," in a helpful tone.

"Let's do this," the robot added as my friend's jaws dropped.

They both came to stand with Lacus and I, Sai demanding, "What are you doing, Kira?"

I don't know where Miriallia's mind was at when she asked, "What do you plan to do with her? You're not . . .?!"

"Please pretend that you didn't see anything," I told them. "I don't wanna involve you guys in this. But I just can't stand this situation!"

Bouncing next to us, Haro encouraged, "Do your best. I'll do my best."

Sai rubbed the back of his head and reasoned, "Well, keeping a girl hostage is something the bad guys do." Looking me in the eyes, he offered, "I'll help."

"Sai . . .," I tried to counter, "I'm probably going to get into a lot of trouble for doing this; you'd get in trouble, too."

He nodded, looking to Miriallia, who nodded as well.

There really was no time to argue, and we headed down to the hanger, pausing at the pilot's ready room. While the others kept watch I rummaged through one of the lockers until I found a standard pressure suit the right size. "Wear this over what you're wearing now," I told Lacus, belatedly realizing that the frilly purple skirt she was wearing wouldn't allow her to close the front of the suit.

Lacus realized this as well, and began fiddling with her shoulders, pulling down shoulder straps that were hidden under her top and shimmying out of the skirt. I looked away, embarrassed, as she put on the pressure suit, stuffing the skirt in before closing it. After checking the seals on the fasteners, gloves and helmet, I led Lacus out to where the others were waiting.

For some reason seeing us gave Miriallia a start, and I didn't realize what was the problem until Sai commented, "Oh. Just wondering for a moment how she suddenly became pregnant."

The skirt was causing the belly of the pressure suit to bulge. Both Miriallia and I hung our heads at the joke, and even Sai seemed to realize that it was in bad taste.

We crept into the hanger, and I went ahead to the Strike, Sai following with Lacus and Miriallia bringing up the rear. "Thank you," Lacus said to the pair as I took my seat in the cockpit, the young woman floating over my lap while I entered the security commands.

"Don't mention it," Sai responded.

"Let's meet again," the young woman cheered.

Sai answered reluctantly with, "I'm not sure that can happen." Then to me he said, "Kira. You'll be returning, right?"

That seemed like a stupid question, and I wondered what he was getting at. Before I could figure that out, though, we heard Chief Murdock calling, "Oi! What are you doing?"

"You will come back here, to us," Sai asked, "won't you?"

"For sure," I told him, still wondering what was going through his head. "I promise."

I closed the cockpit hatch while my friends headed back to the balcony that ringed the hanger while more technicians arrived, calling out to each other. "Make sure you do!" Sai called out before he and Miriallia headed to auxiliary launch control. "It's a promise!"

"Open the hatch," I called out through the mobile suits external speakers. "Please stay back!"

Over the comm. Sai repeated, _"Make sure you do, Kira! I believe you!"_

His image was replaced by that of Ensign Natarle Badgiruel, the ship's combat controller, demanding, _"Strike! That are you doing? Kira Yamato!"_

I turned off the monitor as the Aile Striker pack was connected to the back hard-point of the mobile suit and took hold of the beam rifle and shield that were included in the option. "We're going," I warned Lacus. "Hold on tight!"

"You too!" her Haro countered.

Acceleration pushed me against my seat, but it also pushed Lacus against me, making it difficult to breath as we suddenly accelerated. Maneuvering around the _Archangel_ my sensors picked up the _Nazca_-class that had been trailing us all day, just out of effective range of its beam cannons. They were probably scrambling their mobile suits – of which they had at least three: two GINNs and the Aegis – so I had to be quick.

"This is mobile suit Strike, of the Earth Alliance Forces' _Archangel_," I announced over all frequencies. "I am bringing Lacus Clyne to you!" That should get their attention, I thought. "In return, I demand that the Nazca-class halt! I will hand her over on the condition that we are met by the pilot of the Aegis alone." Then I took a page from Ensign Badgiruel's book by adding, "Should this condition be breached, I cannot guarantee her safety!"

Lacus seemed surprised by the addition, and I gave her a reassuring wink to let her know that I wouldn't let anything happen to her. There were a few tense moments I approached – I was in range of the beam cannons, but would be able to detect a buildup of energy and dodge. But the _NazcaI-_class stopped and the Aegis launched, activating its Phase Shift armor as a precaution, changing from shades of grey to red with grey attachment points. I activated my own, the grey armor panels changing to white, with blue and red on the chest.

"Athrun Zala?" I demanded on an open frequency.

_"That's right,"_ Athrun's voice responded over the radio.

He flew over so that our mobile suits were facing each other, and I raised my beam rifle, aiming at the head of the X303 Aegis. The main cameras and communications gear was stored there, so if this was a trick he would be down those two vital assets. "Open your cockpit!" I ordered.

His cockpit opened, and I opened mine as well. For a moment we stared through the void at each other, and then I prompted Lacus, "Say something."

"Hum?" she wondered.

"He can't see your face," I explained. "He must be convinced that it's you."

"Oh, I understand," she caught on. "Hello, Athrun. It's nice to see you."

Her Haro had somehow patched into the radio, because I heard its voice call out a curse. Not for the first time, I was left wondering who swore so much around Lacus, because I hadn't heard her curse once.

_"Confirmed,"_ Athrun called over the radio.

"Then take her with you," I said, and the other mobile suit pilot climbed out of his cockpit to catch her. "Now, go."

I gave her a gentle push, and she drifted across the 14 or 15 meters of open space that separated the two mobile suits, Athrun catching Lacus' hand and pulling her to the lip of his cockpit hatch. For a moment they stared into each other's eyes, and then Athrun's eyes dropped to the bulge in her pressure suit being caused by her skirt while Lacus turned to me. "Thank you for everything, Kira," she called to me before catching her fiancé's eyes again and adding, "And you, too, Athrun."

He nodded, and I felt happy that I could reunite the pair. They looked back at me, and Athrun said suddenly, _"Kira! You come, too! There's no reason why you should remain with the Earth Forces!"_

"Believe me, I don't want to fight you," I told my old friend. The images of Sai, Miriallia, Tolle and Kuzzey, the refugees, and even the regular crew of the _Archangel_ flashed through my mind. "But aboard that ship are people I wanna protect. My friends, and other refugees from Heliopolis, are aboard that ship!"

Athrun hesitated, and for a moment I thought that he finally understood, but then he told me, _"Then I've got no choice. The next time we battle, I will personally defeat you!"_

There was nothing for me to do then but to accept his resolve. "The same goes for me," I told him, and closed the hatch.

Using the maneuvering thrusters I drifted away from the Aegis while Athrun and Lacus continued watching me from the lip of its cockpit hatch, and when I was sure that Athrun wasn't going to fire on me immediately I lowered the rifle. That was when things started happening – the _Nazca_-class fired it thrusters and launched another mobile suit, a ZGMF-515 CGUE according to the sensors.

Behind me the _Archangel_ launched the Zero. "Lieutenant La Flaga," I warned him, not wanting this to esculate into a battle.

_"Did you really believe they'd just sit back and watch?"_ the man countered. The ZAFT forces had broken the scene first.

Over the radio Lacus' voice admonished, _"Commander Rau Le Creuset! Stop it at once!"_ I had never heard her use that voice before, and wondered what kind of political authority she held that she could speak to a military officer with such confidence. _"Are you trying to turn this location into a battlefield, when there is a representative of the memorial delegation here?"_ What kind of authority did the 'memorial delegation have? _"I will not allow it! Stop your combat operation at once!"_

When the ZAFT officer did not immediately respond, she demanded, _"Can you not hear me?"_

I didn't hear a response, Commander Le Creuset's communications were encrypted, but his CGUE did stop, cutting thrust and turned around, escorting the Aegis back to the _Nazca_. The lieutenant said what I was thinking, _"I'm not sure what just happened, but we're returning too. We don't wanna stir up a hornet's nest."_

"Right," was my response as I watched the Aegis departing. It had been a long time since I'd been able to talk with someone as openly as I had Lacus Clyne – I would miss her. I was also hating the declaration that Athrun and I had made to each other: he seemed unable to understand my desire to protect my friends.

Lieutenant La Flaga popped up on my auxiliary monitor, asking, "What's the matter?

"No. It's nothing," I told him, hitting the thrusters and shutting down Phase Shift.

End Episode Ten

NOTE: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making any money off this fan fiction. No real changes to this episode except that I have Kira questioning the previous battle and wondering why Lacus was taken hostage. That will play out next episode. Anyway, please leave questions and suggestions in the comment section below.


	11. The Awakening Sword

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Eleven: The Awakening Sword

Date: February 2nd, C.E. 71

I stood in what I believed was the military position of 'attention', my feet slightly angled for balance, my knees slightly bent to avoid a black out, my back straight and my hands flat against my thighs, looking directly ahead. Trying to keep my expression from showing, I reviewed the past few days through my mind while I listened to Lieutenant Mu La Flaga and Ensign Natarle Badgiruel debate military law.

"The defendant fails to understand how much he threatened the ship's safety," the ensign, as the prosecutor, was saying, "as a result of his actions."

The lieutenant countered, "That comment is no more than an analogy. I ask that it be taken out of the minutes."

Behind her desk, Lieutenant Murrue Ramius, the acting-captain of the ship, allowed, "I authorize its deletion."

The Captain's Office was a small space near the bridge, with book shelves stacked with books on military law, tactics, famous officers, and a few other subjects. I faced the desk, behind which Lieutenant Ramius was holding court, considering me with her brown eyes. Lieutenant La Flaga sat on my left, a book on military law open as he tried to defend me, while Ensign Badgiruel sat on my right, her book closed in her lap as she seemed more than familiar with military law.

The room and the books had been inherited by acting-Captain Ramius due to her being the highest ranking officer with warship experience, her predecessor and all higher ranking officers having been either killed or prevented from reaching the _Archangel_ by the collapse of Heliopolis.

"Let's see," Mu mused as he turned a couple of pages. "In the first place, I believe that taking a civilian as hostage goes against Article 4 of the Corsica Treaty."

"The actions taken come under Exception Section C of the same article," Ensign Badgiruel countered, again, without opening her book, ""Measures Taken During Wartime"."

"Eh? Exception Section C? Never heard of it. Ah, well," the lieutenant murmured as he flipped pages, "but the _Nazca_-class withdrew, and we escaped a difficult situation because we released the hostage!"

Scathingly, my prosecutor countered, "It could easily have ended differently."

The captain asked, "Kira Yamato, is there something you would like to add?" When I said nothing, she prompted, "Why did you take such action without authorization?"

Keeping my voice measured, I responded, "I didn't rescue her to use her as a hostage."

"Right. If anything you'd want her for a girlfriend," Mu joked.

"Objection!" Ensign Badgiruel exclaimed.

"Will the defense please watch what they say?" Captain Ramius admonished.

My defense flashed her a smile, and the prosecutor sat down. Directing her words to me, the captain summarized the proceedings: "Kira Yamato's actions are in violation of Article 3, Section B . . . in violation of Article 10, Section F . . . and go against Article 13, Section 3 of the military law. Therefore said person shall be," she paused for effect, "sentenced to death!"

I gasped – she couldn't be serious, and I saw that she wasn't serious as her mouth twitched at the corner. "However, this is purely a sentence for those under court martial," She explained. "The military law carries with it no provisions to sentence a civilian. I call upon Kira Yamato to consider his actions seriously from now on. I now adjourn this case."

"U-Uh . . .," I wondered what I was supposed to do next.

"In other words," Mu summed up, "from now on, don't do stuff like that without permission."

I highly doubted that I would have been given permission even if I'd asked, but the way that Mu was talking it sounded like I would have had at least one co-conspirator.

"Do you have any questions, Mr. Yamato?" the captain asked.

"I do, Captain," I announced, "I was wondering why you took Miss Clyne hostage?"

Murrue Ramius frowned, and countered, "You haven't spoken to the others about this?"

"I, um, haven't had the time, ma'am."

She looked to the others, getting a shrug from Mu and a furious look from Ensign Badgiruel. "It wasn't actually us that came up with it," Murrue admitted with a sigh. "Flay Allster came onto the bridge, demanding that we contact ZAFT forces and tell them that if they fired on the _Montgomery_ that she would kill Miss Clyne. In the confusion the _Nazca_-class managed to fire on the _Montgomery._"

Natarle growled, "The _Nazca_ might not even have gotten the opening if she hadn't come onto the bridge earlier, demanding to know the condition of her father's ship."

"She came onto the bridge twice?" I wondered. There were only about a dozen military personnel on board – the others were Morgenroete engineers and various civilian tradesmen that had volunteered. To say that security was lax onboard was an understatement, and when you added that the problem with several of the door locks disarming themselves it would have made coming onto the bridge fairly easy.

The captain stressed, "I'm telling you this because the others already know, however; I don't want you talking about this incident with the rest of the crew or refugees. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," I told her.

We were all dismissed, and I stepped around the ensign towards the door to find Sai and Miriallia waiting for me.

"Kira!" Sai called, sounding relieved. "How'd it go?

"What were you told?" Miriallia asked.

"Do you have to clean the toilets for a week, too?" Sai commented, sounding understandably reluctant.

"Hey, that's a great idea," Mu joked as he came out of the office behind me. "Shall we have you do that?"

He was followed by Ensign Badgiruel, who just scowled at me before heading off. There was a time that I'd thought the ensign was pretty, with her black hair and purple eyes. She was still pretty, and I was a fan of the knee-length pencil skirts she and the captain wore, but she wasn't a very likable person, and seemed to allow neither herself nor those around her any slack.

"They're not punishing me," I revealed.

"That's good," Sai sighed. Then he reasoned, "But that means it's just us?"

Miriallia shrugged, unphased, and told me, "The petty officer totally scolded us. He said, "Do you two even know the meaning of 'danger'?"

She looked amused rather than angry, but I offered, "Oh, sorry. I'll help."

Waving the offer away, Sai told me, "Never mind. We'll be meeting up with the 8th Fleet soon, anyway. It won't be a burden."

We started down the hall together, heading back to the living quarters section of the ship. Sai was quiet for a moment before revealing, "Kuzzey told us that he heard you talking with that girl. I hear that the pilot of the Aegis is a friend of yours."

That wasn't something I wanted known, because it called into question my ability to protect the ship. I had only told Lacus about it in a moment of weakness and confusion. Just thinking about her made my heart ache, because I'd had very few Coordiantor friends growing up. Very few people who I didn't have to frighten with the abilities my parents had coded into my genetics.

"Honestly speaking," Sai was reluctant to say, "I was a bit worried."

"Sai!" I admonished.

"But I'm glad," he replied. "You returned like you said you would." He waved then, and kicked off down a side passage, saying, "Well, I've gotta report to the bridge for my shift."

Miriallia went with him, leaving me with the memory of Sai's last words before I'd left with Lacus. _"Make sure you do, Kira! I believe you!"_

Sai had made me wonder with his comments of late, but he was really my friend. With that knowledge, I headed back to the living quarters to catch up on my studies.

I had a fairly good grasp on the mechanics and capabilities of the other GAT-X series mobile suits, and had turned my attention back to the X105 Strike Gundam. Designed for maximum versatility, the Strike had 'hardpoints' on its chest, back, shoulders, elbows, and lower legs, where additional weapons and equipment could be connected. Called Striker Packs, they gave the Strike a wide range of abilities depending on the configuration, but they also limited the mobile suit to the role of its current equipment.

The AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker gave the Strike high mobility in the form of a set of thrusters on the back. For weapons, it had two beam sabers that were housed over the mobile suit's shoulders, but a beam rifle and anti-beam shield were also standard equipment with the Aile Striker. And while I was getting better at moving at high speed and firing the rifle, I wasn't very good at combining the two skills in combat. Either I got hit or I missed by meters, usually both.

Likewise, the AQM/E-02 Sword Striker was designed for close-in anti-ship combat, and equipped the mobile suit with an almost 16 meter long sword that was designed to cleave through heavy hull armor by means of alternating beam directions. Beams emitted from both the top and bottom of the cutting edge created a scissor effect, while the extra mass added force to the blow. A practical tip to the sword was actually a spear point, and was meant to be used to disarm shields that were sometimes employed by other mobile suits. The problem was that the sword was impractical for anything besides anti-ship combat and jousting, while I'd only used the packs other weapons (a rocket anchor and beam boomerang) once each.

Then there was the AQM/E-X03 Launcher pack, which provided the Strike with its most powerful weapon – a beam cannon which I'd only effectively used to blow the arm off of a CGUE, accidentally blowing a hole in the side of Heliopolis at the same time. Not my finest hour. The other weapons provided had seemed like fluff the times I had used the Launcher, but looking back I thought that the anti-ship Vulcan and gun launchers could have been useful in a few engagements.

Things were quiet for the next week while we headed for the rendezvous point for the 8th Fleet, so I played around with a few ideas, checking thrust/mass ratios as I tried to combine different parts of each Striker pack and then checking power consumption. When I could I involved the others – Kuzzie, Miriallia, Tolle, and Sai – and when I couldn't I worked with Chief Murdock. In the extreme, I worked on my own and had the others check my work later.

Finishing a report to the Captain on my work, I stretched and checked the clock – I was actually running late for dinner, and throwing on my jacket I headed to the mess hall to find Sai and Kuzzey already seated at their meal. There was an awkward silence, and I got the impression that they might have been talking about me before I'd come in. Well, if Kuzzey had overheard me talking with Lacus then there was probably something to talk about.

I was on my way to get a tray when Sai said, "Flay," and I turned to see Flay Allster hesitating at the door. Getting up, Sai went to her, asking, "Flay. Are you alright? Shouldn't you still be resting?"

"I'm fine," she brushed him off, and walked over to me. "Kira. I apologize for earlier," she surprised me by saying. "I was in such a panic then, that . . . I said things I shouldn't have said. I'm really sorry."

We hadn't talked much, hadn't talked at all before I had brought her damaged lifeboat onboard the _Archangel_, but her apology almost seemed out of character. "Flay!" I said, wondering how to take this apology.

"I knew very well," she went on, "that you were doing your best. Yet . . ."

Even though I didn't know where this apology was coming from, I could see that it was costing her to get the words out. "Thank you, Flay," I told her. "I'm just sorry that I couldn't save your father."

"Wars are so unpleasant," she remarked. "I wish it would hurry up and end."

"I agree." Well, we had that one thing in common, if nothing else.

The PA cracked, the voice announcing, _"All units, take level one battle stations! I repeat! All units, take level one battle stations!"_

With a nod to Sai and Kuzzey we tore out of the mess hall, the others ahead of me, but I ran into a little girl who had been running in the same direction down the hall.

"Oh, are you alright?" I asked, holding out a hand to help the girl up. "Here."

Flay beat me to it, though, coming around me to help the girl up and apologizing, "I'm sorry. Kira was in such a hurry." She helped the girl to her feet and dusted off her coveralls. "We're entering another battle," Flay explained to the little girl, "but we'll be all right. Because Kira will fight to protect us."

"Really?" the little girl asked, looking dubious.

"He's gonna go and beat up all the bad guys," Flay promised.

"Kira," Sai called to me – he was holding the lift, waiting for me.

I ran to catch up, my last image of the pair of girls was them standing side-by-side, holding hands as they watched me go. Changing into my flight suit, I boarded the Strike and was briefed my Miriallia on the auxiliary monitor.

_"Kira! The attacking ZAFT forces are one _Laurasia_-class. Duel, Buster, and Blitz!"_

"Those three!" I growled. We hadn't seen either of them since the Eurasian fortress known as Artemis.

Miriallia started running down her checklist. _"APU activated. For the Striker Pack we will attach the Aile. Connected to catapult. Strike, stand by. Systems all green. Route clear. Strike, ready for takeoff."_

"Kira Yamato," I announced, "taking off!"

As soon as I was clear of the catapult I started angling towards the trio of incoming mobile suits, following the Mobius Zero in.

Ahead of us, the three mobile suits entered a formation, shoulder-to-shoulder in a triangular formation. They then broke formation to allow a beam blast from the _Laurasia_-class to pass through where they had been. _"Hiding their line of fire with those machines?"_ the Lieutenant remarked. _"That's very cute!"_

Lieutenant La Flaga deployed the four weapons pods, which had a pair of autocannons each. These set up a barrage which allowed the pilot to deploy the linear gun slung under the fuselage – more powerful but slower weapon. Unfortunately, all the Zero's weapons were kinetic based, and the Phase Shift armor on the GAT-X series mobile suits deflected most of the damage the weapons caused.

Our mission wasn't to destroy the mobile suits, but rather to buy time for the Archangel to join the 8th fleet. To that end, the lieutenant focused on the Buster, which had greater mass and therefore less maneuverability due to the beam cannon it carried. Firing my beam rifle I drew the attention of the Duel, which was a high mobility type equipped with nearly the same weapons as the Aile Striker. He shot back, and I deflected the shot with the anti-beam shield before changing direction to invite pursuit. This, of course, left the Blitz, but the crew of the _Archangel_ had proved that they could hold off a single mobile suit for a while, so hopefully the Lieutenant and I could force one of our opponents to withdraw, freeing us to help the ship.

For a moment I was afraid that both the Duel and Blitz were coming after me, but the Blitz broke off, dodged a few linear gun rounds from La Flaga, and sped off after the _Archangel._

The pilot of the Duel was excellent, easily dodging my shots, but he switched to a beam saber and came after me directly. I blocked with the shield, side slipped and fired the rifle, my shots going wide but they were a lot closer than usual. Breaking contact, I headed after the ship, not wanting to let too much distance build up between me and it. Mu was doing the same with the Buster, recalling his gunbarrels and rocketing after the _Archangel_ so as not to get too far away.

I switched to a two-handed method with the rifle, aiming carefully, and managed to hit the Duel in the shield as it lunged for me.

"I'm not about to be defeated here!" I announced to no one, abandoning the rifle as the Duel closed and grabbing one of my own beam sabers. We went sword-to-shield, trying to overpower the anti-beam shield's heat resistance. The Duel's pilot was having none of that, though, and broke contact, then followed up with a few more passes.

Above, Mu was peppering the Buster with an autocannon barrage only to have one of his gunbarrels destroyed by the Buster's defensive missile launcher. While that was happening, the _Laurasia_-class frigate had entered the effective targeting range of its beam cannons, and the _Archangel_ was forced to begin evasive maneuvers that slowed it's forward momentum – lengthening the time until we met up with the 8th Fleet. It returned fire with its own beam cannons while continuing to fight the Blitz, which kept vanishing from sensors.

The Duel and I continued to exchange blows, neither of us getting my headway, when Miriallia called me over the comm. _"Kira! Kira!" _I could hear the panic in her voice as she announced,_ "The enemy's come right up to the bridge! Get back here!"_

"The _Archangel!_" I gasped as my right monitor focused on the image of explosions against the side of the ship's hull.

I remembered the destruction of the _Montgomery_, Flay's breakdown at the death of her father, and her words just before this battle: _"We're entering another battle, but we'll be alright,"_ she had told that little girl. _"Because Kira will fight to protect us."_

_"Really?"_ the girl had asked, looking up at me.

My mind seemed to clear, focusing as I resolved myself and announced my intent. "I won't let you sink the _Archangel!_"

The Duel came at me, but I didn't have time to waste on him. Doing a cartwheel over his head I got behind the other mobile suit and managed to hit him between the waist armor and lower torso, a weakness that I'd identified in my studies, but hadn't managed to hit before. Pulling the sword back, I hit the thrusters and headed back to the _Archangel_ as fast as I could, dodging a few beam rifle shots sent my way by the X102.

The Blitz was standing on the hull above the hanger, firing beam blasts against the part of the hull that extended up to the bridge in an attempt to overwhelm the heat resistance. Beam saber in hand, I tried to land on top of it, but the Blitz' pilot was fast, and dodged. Not too fast, however, as I managed to catch up and slam the right knee against the mobile suit's chest, knocking it back.

Behind me, the Duel was incoming, trying to take advantage of surprise in order to get in close. Dropping the beam saber, I deployed one of the combat knives housed in the Strike's skirt armor and twisted my machine around. Blocking the Duel's beam saber with my shield, I plunged the dagger into the side of the opponent mobile suit where I'd damaged the armor earlier and allowed momentum to separate us.

The Blitz caught the drifting Duel, and with the Buster to cover them all three machines withdrew.

Panting more from emotion than exersion, I landed the Strike on the upper hull of the _Archangel_ and listed as Mu hooted, _"They left! You were marvelous, kid!"_

"Lieutenant," I called, checking my sensor board to see that his Mobius Zero was damaged but still operational.

_"Why . . . you,"_ he seemed lost for words. _"No. You're unbelievable."_

"Not really," I dissembled.

The sensor board started picking up additional heat signatures, and a moment later assigned names and designations to the ships that it had detected. It was the 8th Fleet, or at least a part of the fleet that had been sent out ahead, which had been the real deciding factor in the battle. By coming to us they had put the odds overwhelmingly in our favor, forcing the ZAFT mobile suits and frigate to withdraw, I decided.

End Chapter Eleven

NOTES: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making any money on this fan fiction. Well, I promised a slight deviation in the narrative – Kira now knows that it was Flay who distracted the bridge crew, allowing the _Vesalius_ to get in the killing blow against the _Montgomery_. How this will change the dynamic between the two characters is something I will have to tackle in later episodes. Again, let me know in the comments section if you have questions or suggestions.


	12. Flay's Decision

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Twelve: Flay's Decision

Date: February 10th, C.E. 71

"We're with the fleet now," I complained while sticking my head out the hatch of the Mobius Zero, "so what's all the rush?

"I feel insecure while it remains damaged!" Mu countered as he sipped on a water bottle.

Chief Murdock supported the lieutenant, saying, "The pilots of the 8th Fleet are all youngsters! Should something happen we'll need the lieutenant to sortie."

We were in the hanger of the _Archangel_, completing work on the mobile armor that had been damaged in the last battle. Actually, it had been damaged multiple times over the past 20 days, in various engagements, since leaving Heliopolis. In fact, the first time I had seen it the mobile armor had been missing all four of its gunbarrel pods, which had been destroyed in a battle with Mu La Flaga's arch nemesis Rau Le Creuset.

Mu gave the chief a thumbs up for his support, but I wondered, "But what about the Strike? Is it okay to leave it as is?"

The lieutenant gave it some thought before commenting, "You have a point . . . but I'm not sure about putting it back the way it was, and lowering the specs."

"One would hope," a woman's voice, which was mostly unheard in the hanger as there were very few women aboard with permission to enter the space, "that someone could come along and pilot it as is."

The speaker was Lieutenant Murrue Ramius, the acting-captain of the _Archangel_.

"Captain!" I called out in greeting

"Huh? What are you doing here?" Mu asked.

"Sorry to interrupt," she apologized. "I wanted to talk with Kira."

"Please don't give me that suspicious look," she admonished me in a playful tone, before admitting, "Although I don't blame you."

We headed over to the gantry next to the Strike Gundam, which stood grey and dormant in a maintenance cradle. "I've hardly had any free time," she mused while looking up at the machine, "so I couldn't find the time to have a good talk with you." She went on to reveal, "Well, I just wanted to thank you properly. I put you though a great deal of hardship."

She wasn't wrong – the first time we'd met she'd shoved me into the cockpit of the Strike, probably saving my life, but then I'd been forced to pilot the mobile suit to save both our lives. After that, she'd threatened my friends and me at gunpoint, telling us that if we didn't go with her to the _Archangel_ that she'd shoot us. Following that had been a series of unfortunate events which had led us to the present day.

"I'm truly grateful for what you've done," she said, bowing in the formal way of the United Emirates of Orb. "I forced a number of things upon you . . . and you gave us your all. I am truly grateful."

"Aw, it's alright, Captain," I told her, embarrassed by the formality. In actuality, my family had only just moved to Orb before I had gone to the resource satellite of Heliopolis to attend the technical college, and didn't know if I was supposed to bow back or what, and I was relieved when she straightened.

"The others may not actually put it into words," she told me, "but each one of us is grateful. Given this situation, I imagine things will continue to be hectic for you, even on Earth, but I wish you the best of luck."

Over the PA it was announced,_ "Admiral Halburton's shuttle will be arriving shortly. All officers and crew not on duty are to report to the hanger. I repeat! All officers and crew not on duty are to report to the hanger. Admiral Halburton's shuttle will be arriving shortly."_

We formed up just outside of the hanger airlock and waited as the airlock was cycled and the doors were rolled back. All three of our officers were present, along with the primary bridge crew, up front and center. Further back, I stood with my friends and the handful of the mechanics. The admiral was a tall man with blond hair and mustache, who smiled broadly as he surveyed the crew assembled before him.

"You know," he called out jovially as he leapt through the low-g environment, and took hold of Lieutenant Ramius' shoulders to steady himself, "when I first heard of the Heliopolis collapse, I thought that was the end. But what a joy to be able to see you people here."

"Thank you very much," Ramius responded with equal heart. "Pleasure to see you again, Admiral."

She saluted, and he returned the salute, dropping his hand first. "I was a little nervous when told you were in a battle earlier!" he admitted. "Are you all right?"

He looked to the other officers, who introduced themselves.

"I'm Natarle Badgiruel."

"I'm Mu La Flaga of the 7th Orbital Fleet."

Bypassing Badgiruel, the Admiral moved to Mu, exclaiming, "Oh! We were so fortunate to have you."

They shook hands, and the lieutenant admitted, "Well, I wish that I could've helped more."

Looking over Mu's shoulder, the Admiral spotted us. "Oh, and those fellows?"

Our acting-captain answered, "Yes. They're the students from Heliopolis who helped with the ship."

He actually pushed Natarle aside so that he could join us, taking a look at our faces before soberly saying, "We've checked for each of your families. Everybody is safe."

That was an immense relief, though only Kuzzey's family had actually been living on Heliopolis at the time of the collapse.

The Admiral's aid, a full Captain if I was reading the rank correctly, came up behind the senior officer as he was saying, "We're grateful for your help during this terrible situation. I wish to thank you personally."

"Admiral, we have little time," the commander pointed out.

Nodding, the admiral cut short what he had to say, settling on, "I'd love the opportunity to sit down and talk with all of you later." He then lead the way out of the hanger, his aid and the other officers following him while the enlisted personnel saluted.

Dismissed, the others had to head back up to the bridge until the officers returned, while I was free to change out of my Earth Alliance uniform and back into the mismatched outfit I had been wearing that fateful day in Heliopolis – black jacket and mint-green pants, with some small red belts to make the pants at least look like part of the ensemble. I joined the other refugees and whiled away a few hours by playing a game with Torii, my Birdy robot.

Tapping it on the head repeatedly, I initiated its defense protocol, and it began pecking my finger. It wasn't painful, but it hopped around on the mattress as if it were mad, attacking my finger tip. As time passed, though, I began wondering were my friends were – the admiral had to have been done with the officers by that point, and my friends would have been relieved of duty and sent to change into civilian clothes.

Deciding to go look for them, I followed the line of refugees to the shuttle that would be ferrying them to one of the other ships, where they would transfer to another shuttle capable of planetary reentry. I didn't see them there, and didn't feel like boarding the shuttle without them, so I proceeded on with the intent of saying goodbye to Chief Murdock and the other maintainers. Unfortunately, most of them were busy, so I ended up hanging out next to the Strike, standing on the chest armor.

"Are you suddenly feeling nostalgic now that you're disembarking?" I turned to find the admiral on the maintenance lift. "You're Kira Yamato, I take it. I read about you in the report."

"Yes," I confirmed.

He didn't seem angry, or suspicious of me. More curious, and maybe a little sad as he looked over the Strike. "But once again I'm taken," he announced, "but the sheer abilities of you Coordinators!"

He went on to explain, "These were built to cope with ZAFT's mobile suits," pausing before exclaiming, "but with you guys in them, they become incredible super weapons!"

"I wouldn't go that far!" I objected. If they had an MOS that would work with the standard neural pattern, and someone with high spatial awareness, like Lieutenant La Flaga, the Strike would be able to operate at the same levels.

Admiral Halburton changed the subject before I could counter. "I understand that your parents are Naturals!"

"Huh?" I wondered where this was going. "Uh, yes, they were."

"Were?"

"They died, when I was a baby," I explained. "My aunt and uncle raised me."

He frowned at the information, but did not allow that to change his opinion, "Still, I can't help wondering what they wanted to achieve by making you a Coordiantor!"

I was surprised and gratified that an Admiral of the Earth Alliance Forces recognized that it had not been my choice to be born a Coordinator. Most people seemed to assume that I'd had some part in the decision process, back when I was a collection of cells the size and shape of a lima bean. On Copernicus, after the destruction of the UN building, anyone identified as a Coordinator had been labeled as an unnatural freak for wanting to have their genes manipulated. Some of those who'd had their genes manipulated for genuine medical reasons had gone off their meds and died when the after-birth manipulation had been rejected by their bodies. It had been crazy.

That was when my parents, my aunt and uncle, had decided to immigrate to Orb.

"In any case," the admiral went on, "I'd like nothing more than a quick end to this war!"

"Admiral," an enlisted man I didn't recognize called out. Floating over, the Earth Alliance soldier snapped to attention and reported, "The Menelaos would like back on board immediately."

"Here we go again," Admiral Halburton sighed. "I'm not even given the chance to have a decent conversation with you guys!"

"Uh," I managed, not sure what to say.

"I thank you for protecting the _Archangel_ and the Strike to this point!" he told me. Then by way of salutation, he added, "Don't die before the arrival of a better day!"

He turned, and was following the enlistee when I found my voice. "Sir!" I called out, and when he turned back I asked, "Uh, what happens now to the _Archangel_ . . . Lieutenant Ramius, and the others?"

"The _Archangel_ will proceed onto Earth as is!" he answered a little sadly. "As for the crew, they will be going straight back into a battlefield!"

"Uh . . . Well . . .," I tried to start.

The admiral turned to face me before saying, "I know what you're concerned about."

"Your abilities are certainly attractive to the military," he admitted, but countered , "However, it's not as if we'd be sure to win if we had you. A war's not that simple. Don't flatter yourself!"

"B-But . . .," I tried, then settled on, "I understood that if I have the ability to make a difference, then I should put that ability to use!"

"Admiral," the enlistee stressed.

Holding up a hand to forestall a reminder, Halburton explained, "Only if you have the will! Nobody who lacks the will can see anything through to the end!"

With that said, he followed the enlistee out of the hanger, and back to his own shuttle. I followed them after a minute or two, heading back to the shuttle hanger were another transport had arrived to ferry refugees. Not immediately joining the cue, I watched for my friends, sure that they wouldn't have left without me.

"Come back, Elle," a woman called out to her daughter – the girl in the pink coveralls that I'd run into a few days ago.

I caught her, and set her down on floor, and the girl rummaged in her knapsack for an origami flower she had there. "Thank you for protecting us," she announced, offering me the flower.

Blushing slightly at the attention that brought, I knelt and accepted the flower, telling her, "Thank you."

She headed back to her mom and waved before rejoining the cue for the shuttle.

Standing back, I let other people pass me, but as the cue thinned out I began to wonder if they had left without me. Then I heard Tolle's voice calling my name, and turned around to see my friends still in their Earth Alliance uniforms just arriving.

"There you are," I sighed in relief. "I couldn't find any of you, so . . ."

Tolle handed me a sheet of paper, saying, "We were told to give this to you. Your discharge permission."

"We've all decided to stay," Sai revealed.

"With the _Archangel_," Tolle clarified. "With the military."

"You're staying?" I asked. Even Kuzzey? "What do you mean?"

Kuzzey revealed, "Flay joined the military."

That was completely out of character for Flay, and I wondered what she could have been thinking to volunteer for military service.

Shrugging, the youngest of my friends went on, "So we did, too."

Just then the alarm sounded, and it was announced, _"All hands to take level one battle stations! I repeat! All hands to take level one battle stations!"_

Behind me, the shuttle attendant shouted, "Hey, you over there! We're leaving!"

Tolle answered for me, saying, "Uh, please wait a moment. He's going. Think of this as fate!" he added before pushing me towards the shuttle. "Bye! You make sure you get to Earth safely."

"Stay alive!" Sai called.

"No matter what happens, please don't join ZAFT!" Kuzzey put in as they all headed back into the ship.

I watched them go, conflicted about what I should do in this situation. Behind me, the enlisted man admonished, "Hey! If you're getting on, will you hurry?"

_Archangel_ personnel, maintainers, passed by, shouting back and forth, the first sounding anxious, "Lieutenant La Flaga's taking off in his Zero!" The second reassuring, "It's all right! We're finished with the repairs!"

I remembered Elle giving me the paper flower, _"Thank you for protecting us."_

Lieutenant Ramius in front of the Strike, _"Given this situation, I imagine things will continue to be hectic, even on Earth, but I wish you the best of luck."_

And Lieutenant La Flaga when he first convinced me to pilot the Strike to defend my friends, _"You have the ability to make a difference, right? Then put those abilities to use."_

Holding my discharge paper in one hand and the paper flower in the other I wondered if I had the will necessary to fight a war? No, I reasoned, I didn't have the will to fight a war. I did, however, have the will to protect my friends!

Crumpling the discharge paper, I told the shuttle attendant, "Please go without me!" and kicked off towards the exit, tossing the crumpled sheet of paper behind me while holding onto the flower.

End Episode Twelve

NOTES: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making any money from this fan fiction. The only change here is that Kira knows he was adopted by his aunt and uncle, so his conversation with Admiral Halburton is slightly modified. Questions and suggestions in the comments section below, and thank you for sticking with me this long!


	13. Stars Falling in Space

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Thirteen: Stars Falling in Space

Date: February 13th, C.E. 71

I moved through the ship as quickly as I could, taking advantage to the low gravity environment whenever I could by propelling myself down corridors at junction points, making my way to the pilot's ready room. Up on the bridge my friends would be reporting for duty and taking their seats – Tolle as assistant helmsman, Sai as a weapons control officer, Miriallia as the combat information controller, and Kuzzey as assistant communications officer. Each of them would be doing their best to defend the ship, the _Archangel_, and I would do my best to defend them.

Something was bothering me as I made my way by route to the ready room, a nagging suspicion that something terrible was about to happen. My distraction was such that I didn't immediately notice that there was someone in the room. When my name was called I looked up to see a red-haired, grey-eyed young woman wearing the female-variant of the Earth Alliance uniform.

Lunging at me, the girl wrapped her arms around my shoulders – her momentum stopping my own with enough left over to send us drifting into the wall next to the door. "Flay?" I wondered, "What are you doing here?

She leaned back a little so that I could see her face, the tears forming at the corners of her beautiful eyes. "I thought you had left us . . . so I . . .," she tried to explain, but lost confidence and had to start over again, babbling slightly. "Everyone's fighting. Except for me. I was the first to say I'd remain . . . so I . . . I was going to . . ."

It was then, as she cried against my shoulder, that I noticed the open locker with my pilot's suit inside. "You're not saying . . .," I exclaimed. Then holding her at so that I could look into her eyes, I admonished, "Flay! Don't be foolish!"

"It's impossible for a girl like you to try to pilot a mobile suit!" That probably sounded sexist, but Flay Allster was shorter than me, and she was a natural born human who hadn't trained her body to withstand the riggers of combat maneuvers. She would likely pass out trying to pull off a high speed maneuver, and would get herself killed.

"But . . . I . . .," she tried to argue.

Cutting her off, I told the girl, "I'll get in the Strike. I'll fight for the both of us, Flay," smiling as I said it to take the sting out of my earlier words.

Kicking off one of the couches, I moved over to the locker. "Uh, so," I tried to make conversation, "We both want this war to end quickly. I'm not sure what I can do to help, but I've decided that I'm not going to run away from this responsibility. Someone has to protect this ship, and that person might as well be me. We'll do what we can, to end this war."

She moved up to my side, placing her hand on my shoulder and getting really close. "I've also decided," she told me in a breathy whisper, "that I'll protect you."

Flay kissed me then, shoving her tongue into my mouth and doing interesting things with it. I didn't know how to respond at first – my first reaction being to freeze up, and then I decided that I might as well enjoy the ride while it lasted and kissed her back. This was Flay Allster, after all, the girl that I'd had a crush on since I'd first seen her at the college, modeling her newest dress. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed the intimacy while it lasted.

When the kiss finally broke, Flay laid her head against my chest while I tried to gather my thoughts. "Flay," I told her, "I have to get ready – they might need me to head out at any moment."

"R-Right," she responded, leaning back, but I swooped down and gave her another kiss before pushing her towards the door.

"Flay," I called to her, "the _Archangel_ is going to land on Earth, so find some place safe to stay until then."

She nodded, and I quickly stripped to put on my flight suit.

_"All units, prepare for atmosphere entry,"_ Petty Officer Neumann warned over the public address system.

I entered the hanger to find it strangely subdued. The Gundam stood in its maintenance cradle, gray and motionless, of course, because no one but me could pilot it, but the Lieutenant's Mobius Zero was also in its cradle on the hanger floor. Most of the mechanics seemed occupied with making sure that everything was tied down, including the new aircraft that had been delivered with the supplies.

"Descend?" the Lieutenant scoffed at Chief Murdock. "In this situation?"

"What good will it do to yell at me?" the chief petty officer responded. "I guess it's better than sitting around not doing anything!

Growling, Mu started to say, "But you know . . ."

"Even if we're able to shake off the ZAFT ships and GINNs," I finished for him, "those four machines will still be a problem."

"Kid?" Murdock gasped.

"I'll stand by in the Strike," I told the pair. "We're still at level one battle stations, right?"

Behind me, I heard the chief say, "I thought he left the ship."

I didn't catch the lieutenant's reply, however, as I boarded the mobile suit and began to bring it online. Over the PA I heard Neumann inform the crew, _"Descent sequence, phase one. Seven minutes to atmosphere entry interface."_

I stuck the paper flower that Elle had given me between my radar and communications systems and closed the hatch, preparing in case we were asked to sortie.

Crewman Tonomura came on next, announcing, _"Duel and Buster have passed the procession ships ahead of us! _Menelous_ is engaged in battle!"_

_Menelaos_ was Admiral Halburton's flagship, an _Agamemnon_-class carrier with formidable fighting potential. However, the Duel and Buster, GAT-X series mobile suits developed by the Earth Alliance, were fast, maneuverable, and heavily armed. An artillery-type, the Buster alone could do mass damage to the 8th fleet, especially with the Duel to provide it with support.

"Lieutenant La Flaga," I called over the communication system.

He appeared on my left auxiliary monitor, responding, _"Yeah! I know."_ Requesting communications with the bridge brought up Captain Murrue Ramius' image on the right-aux monitor. _"Captain! Let us out to fight until the last possible moment,"_ he requested. _"How much time to we have?"_

_"Don't be ridiculous!"_ she countered. _"We're . . ."_

I cut her off, saying, "According to the catalog specs, the Strike is able to descend on its own!"

_"Kira?"_ the captain goggled at me, _"What are you doing there?"_

"If this keeps up the _Menelaos_ will be in danger, Captain!" I stressed.

Mu's image was replaced by that of Ensign Natarle Badgiruel. _"All right! But return before we reach phase three,"_ she allowed. _"The specs may say it's possible,"_ she explained,_ "but no one has tested it! We don't know what'll happen to its interior! Keep your eye on the time and altitude at all times!"_

"Yes, ma'am," I agreed.

Both the ensign and captain's faces vanished from my screens, and Mu ordered, _"All right, Kira, why don't you lead us out this time?"_

The maintenance cradle was moved into the launch tube, the Strike lowered into the chalks before the Striker pack was attacked. "Miriallia, I want the Aile++," I ordered.

_"Are you sure, Kira?"_ my friend asked. _"We've only run simulations on the weight distribution."_

"We've only run the numbers on pretty much everything," was my response. "I've just got a feeling that I'll need the extra weapons."

_"Okay,"_ she responded.

In addition to the AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker, the "Midas Messer" beam boomerang from the E-X02 was connected to the left shoulder hardpoint, and the combo weapons pod from the E-X03 was connected to the right shoulder hardpoint. As I waited to launch, I made sure that both units were powered from the umbilical so that they wouldn't drain either the primary or secondary battery when I needed to use them.

Mu quietly admitted, _"It's the first time for me, too, to sortie in this kind of situation."_

That was both comforting and discomforting – he was the veteran, and I'd been relying on his expertise for the past 20 days. Now, suddenly, it felt like we were equals: a couple of college kids about to do something they knew was massively stupid. "Kira Yamato," I announced, "taking off!"

First the chalks and then the mass driver pushed me out of the ship and into space. Below me the blue planet was stretched out in all its glory, while above the twelve ships of the 8th fleet and their combined mobile armors were engaged in combat with a trio of ZAFT vessels, a dozen GINNs, and the four other GAT-X mobile suits. Despite the difference in numbers, nearly 4-to-1 odds all around, things were not going well for the Earth Alliance forces.

The Aegis and Blitz were wreaking havoc on the front lines of the battle, the Aegis' Scylla beam cannon punching holes into the heavily armored ship while the Blitz used it mirage colloid to get in close and do mass damage. Meanwhile, the Buster and Duel were going after the _Menelaos._ Seeing that as the priority maneuvered in that direction only to have the Strike vibrate around me.

"This must be gravity pulling me down," I reasoned, putting more power to the thrusters to escape the pull.

I fired at a mobile suit that I didn't recognize and it turned to face me, drawing a beam saber from over its shoulders.

"Duel?" I wondered before realizing why it looked so different, "It's equipment!" Taking in the missile pod on the left shoulder, the railgun on the right, additional armor plates on the arms, waist, and legs, and a thruster pack to help it compensate for the additional mass, I couldn't help but feel that however had bolted on all that stuff must have been a real mess.

The X102 came at me, firing its new rail gun, but I countered with the 120mm anti-ship Vulcans while bringing my shield up to block his follow up with the beam saber. Side slipping, I fired the rifle while the modified Duel slashed, forcing me to dodge. He came after me again, and I fired the 350mm gun barrel, which hit his shield with enough force to nearly disarm him. Unfortunately, he maintained the shield and kept coming.

Meanwhile, the Zero harried the Buster – still only equipped with solid projectile weapons, Lieutenant La Flaga couldn't do much damage against the PS armor equipped X103, but at least he could keep the Buster from going after the capital ships. I was in awe of how Mu, with no genetic alteration, could multitask between the fuselage and the four gunbarrel containers, deploying and withdrawing them as needed. The best that he could manage, though was to try and either force or draw the mobile suit into the firing solution of one of the capital ships.

_"Four minutes to atmospheric entry interface!"_ Neumann warned over the radio.

The Duel was still coming after me, the pilot showing the same single mindedness as in our last engagement, and I roared, "Stop it!" while letting loose with both the 120mm and the beam rifle, forcing my opponent to go evasive. Despite the effectiveness of the tactic, I felt as if I needed the shoulder weapons for some other reason, and tried to conserve ammunition.

In a move of reckless abandon, one of the _Laurasia_-class frigates broke from the ZAFT formation and used an opening created by the Aegis and Blitz to make a run on the _Menelaos_. It first targeted a _Drake_-class escort ship that was sticking close to the 8th Fleet's flagship. Breaking contact with the Duel, Lieutenant La Flaga made a run on the _Laurasia_ to no effect – and he was forced to pull out rather than do a follow up due to Earth's gravity.

Under barrage from the frigate, the escort was destroyed, and the ZAFT ship was free to turn its guns on the carrier.

Mu came under fire from the Aegis, but managed to get away, while the Aegis turned its attention to the _Laurasia_-class, which was about to be pincered by an additional _Drake_-class that was moving in to support the flagship. Then Athrun's mobile suit stopped and reversed course, heading back to the _Nazca_-class destroyer along with the Blitz. Well, that was two GAT-Xs off the field, I thought to myself.

Ignoring the incoming _Drake_, the _Laurasia_ focused all its firepower on the _Menelaos_, which returned fire with equal ferocity.

_"Kira!"_ Miriallia called from the CIC, _"The _Menelaos_ is launching the refugee shuttle."_

Suddenly, I knew why I had brought the extra weapons – it was to protect the refugees, but how was I supposed to do that, and protect them from what?

The Zero, drawn closer to the planet by the flow of battle, had reached its operational limit, and Lieutenant La Flaga headed back to the ship. Likewise, the _Laurasia_-class frigate had gone too deep into the atmosphere; the turbulence picking at the damaged hull until the ship finally came apart.

_"Phase three!"_ Neumann announced. _"Releasing ablative gel! Entering atmosphere!"_

Just like the _Laurasia_-class the _Menelaos_ had fallen too deep into the atmosphere for recovery, and was torn apart by turbulence. Meanwhile, the Duel kept coming after me, even as the armor of our mobile suits heated up. "You won't defeat me," I roared defiantly as we clashed.

The Duel fired its railgun, and I responded with the anti-missile Vulcans. Firing the thrusters, I shield-slamed my opponent, then kicked him in the head for good measure. He drifted towards the Buster and switched from saber to rifle, taking aim at me only for the refugee shuttle to pass between us.

"The shuttle from the _Menelaos_!" I realized.

When it had passed, the Duel took a couple of shots at me before lowering its rifle, aiming for the re-entry vechicle.

"Don't do it!" I cried, and threw the beam boomerang while unloading the weapons pod. I wasn't aiming for the Duel, but rather the space between the other mobile suit and the shuttle.

The shots from the 120mm anti-ship Vulcan and the two gun barrels absorbed energy from the beam blast, allowing the spinning boomerang to deflect the remainder. Meanwhile, the shuttle continued its descent, the Duel out of effective range as it continued to fall. I turned, and putting the shield in front of me pushed the thrusters to maximum trying to catch up with the _Archangel_.

End Episode Thirteen

NOTES: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making money from this fan fiction. So, a couple changes to the narrative, the first being the development of the AQM/E-YM1Perfect Striker. I figured that the shoulder kits could be charged prior to leaving the ship, and therefore not be such a drain on the Aile Striker's battery. While I would have liked to use the smaller "Panzer Eisen" rocket anchor/shield, I figured that the larger shield was needed for reentry. The major change, of course, is the survival of the refugees. While Kira's inability to protect people is a reoccurring plot point, I thought the deaths of the refugees was gratuitous and only served as an opening for Flay's continued manipulations. Hopefully I explained how he stopped the beam in a plausible way – let me know in the comments below.


	14. The Respective Solitudes

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Fourteen: The Respective Solitudes

Date: February 14th, C.E. 71

Where was I?

I'm laying in a bed.

Why am I laying in a bed? There was something I had to do. I didn't have time to lay in a bed.

Pushing back the curtain I tried to climb out of bed only to be pushed back by hands that seemed cold against my skin. I had trouble focusing on the red-haired girl who called my name, or on the brunette who asked me if I was all right. Of course I wasn't all right – they were forcing me to stay in bed while there was something really important that I needed to do.

Wasn't I just falling?

That's right, I was falling, and people were calling my name – Sai, and Captain Ramius, and Miriallia – they were calling my name as I fell through space. No, I was in the cockpit of the Strike, trying to make it back to the _Archangel_.

_"Kira! Kira!"_ Miriallia was screaming over the radio. _"Can't you get back here? Return to the ship!_"

It was really hot in the cockpit, air turbulence causing friction against the armor. Below me I saw the _Archangel_ changing course, and I managed to land on the armor before passing out from the heat, many voices calling my name. That was the last thing I could remember, and the remembering seemed to drain me of all my strength.

My eyes felt really dry when I opened them next to find by a small green and yellow robotic bird staring down at me with beady red eyes. Opening its wings, it cried, "Birdy. Birdy," as if welcoming me back to the land of the living.

"Torii?" I remembered.

The curtain to my right was folded back, and a beautiful red-haired girl with gray eyes smiled down at me, cheering, "You're awake."

"Flay," I said her name to make sure I remembered it.

I tried to sit up, only to have my muscles protest the movement, and Flay Allster pushed me back to the mattress with absurd ease, admonishing, "You mustn't get up so suddenly."

Even though I had been aboard the _Archangel_ for 20 days, by last count, I didn't recognize the room. The same size as junior officer quarters, the room had only a single desk by the door, opposite a sink and mirror, and while it had two beds the beds were narrower than I was used to. "Where am I?"

"The ship's medical room," Flay explained as she sat on a rolling stool by my side. "I hear that you were unconscious when the ship landed . . . so I guess you don't remember."

"So we made it down," I sighed in relief.

"We're on Earth," she reassured me. "A desert. We landed last night."

Good, we'd made it down safely, that was the main thing, but I thought the ship would have been aiming for ocean rather than land. Flay retrieved a glass of water, and helped me sit up to sip the tepid liquid. There was an IV dripping saline into my arm, but it felt good to have something slide down my throat.

The doctor came a few minutes later and checked me over, disconnecting the IV and giving me permission to return to my room. Flay helped me down the hall, and then went to get some food. My mostly empty stomach rumbled, and as soon as she came back I'm afraid that I couldn't say much as I was too busy eating. Once that obligation was taken care of, though, I felt sleep knocking, and let Flay help me to the bed. I'd wanted to talk to Flay, about the kiss earlier.

She'd forgiven me for not being able to defend her dad's ship, but I had a feeling that she hadn't forgiven herself for her part in the tragedy. No, more accurately, she didn't recognize her part. I figured that if we were starting a relationship – I certainly hoped we were starting a relationship – that she'd have to come to terms with that first. Otherwise I'd be taking advantage of her grief, and that just felt wrong.

Laying on my bed, I closed my eyes and was visited by the old dream.

I was standing in front of a magnificent mansion, austere and gothic, with 23 other guys who had been selected for the photo shoot. Mr. Aster, the owner of the mansion, wanted to have a portrait done depicting himself as young and healthy, two things that he no longer was. During his over seven decades, the man had been a chain smoker, a heavy drinker, and had dabbled in various narcotics on occasion. Stoop backed, the man could shuffle around a room on a cane, but got most places by a wheelchair that was being pushed by his granddaughter.

His granddaughter, my, oh, my, but when I first laid eyes on her I thought that would do the job for free so long as she hung around. Strawberry-blonde hair in an up-do, green eyes, and a scattering of freckles across her cheeks and nose, made her look cute. The navy blazer and pencil skirt, and matching high heels, made her look like a wet dream. Even though she showed no cleavage, her open-collared blouse under the jacket certainly hinted at a terrific set tits, and the skirt displayed an awe-inspiring ass that looked like you could bounce quarters off of, while the stiletto heels sculpted her long legs to perfection.

We were taken on a tour of the house and grounds, and I really did try to pay attention, but I mostly ignored the décor to watch the way Megan Aster's ass swayed.

About the only thing that really got my attention was the long hallway that was filled with portraits of Mr. Aster's family. The man must have had an army of genealogists working for him, because some of the portraits were ancient – the oldest being an image engraved in bronze.

Some time during the tour Megan had explained that we would move from location to location throughout the day, and we were split up to start the photo shoot. Not being a professional model, I found the entire thing very tiring – a 10 hour marathon session of, 'look natural', and 'don't do that with your feet'. At least Mr. Aster insisted that we not wear makeup, as he wanted the portrait to be 'natural'.

And at the end of the day I took my check for $500 thinking it wasn't enough money for all the hassle.

When the modeling agency gave me a call couple of weeks later, saying that I'd been short-listed for a reshoot, I seriously considered telling them 'no'. Then I heard that it would be $1,000, and that Megan Aster would be in some of the shots – playing body-double for her dead grandmother – I couldn't say 'yes' fast enough. Clearing the day with the bosses at my 3 part-time jobs, I was picked up by a limo along with two others and brought back to the mansion.

Even though the work was exhausting, having to be mindful of every body movement, the fact that I got to sit on a bench under a pavilion with Ms. Aster for nearly an hour made it all worth it. Megan, it seemed, would be inheriting the majority of the estate when her grandfather passed, which would be soon, it seemed. The portrait that would be created was actually to be revealed at the man's funeral – I thought that was morbid, but apparently it was a family tradition.

Taking my $1,000 I headed home and used most of the money to pay down my student loans, but I used some of it to buy the last volume of Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny HD Remaster – a new version of one of my favorite animes. While I was waiting for that to arrive news came that Mr. Aster had died suddenly in his sleep, and I wondered what would happen to the portrait that had been planned. Actually, I was wondering if I could get away with going to the Aster Mansion and help console Megan. However, it seemed that I wasn't totally forgotten.

A couple of days later a lawyer representing Mr. Aster arrived at my door with an old ceramic lamp the old man had left me in his will, and an invitation to visit the mansion to complete the portrait. Not really sure what to do, I took the lamp and made arrangements to be picked up the first thing tomorrow. Then I called my bosses and let them know – I was being paid $750 a day until the portrait was complete, so I could afford to take some time off. With that done, I settled on my couch to watch my show while my roommates went out to party.

Unfortunately, the power went out just after sundown, and having no candles, I decided to light the lamp. The wick caught immediately, producing a blue flame that seemed to sway hypnotically, but then something really strange happened. Black smoke began to pour out of the lamp, clinging to my arms as the flame left the wick and split into two. I backed up and more smoke pored from the ceramic lamp, pooling in the floor before condensing into two columns that rose to a unified trunk. The blue flames rose up the body, reaching what would have been the shoulders, and a head bubbled up so that the flames could stare at me from eye level.

Those flames seemed to peer into my very soul, and then I heard the voice reverberating inside my mind, "GRANTED."

I sat up, or at least tried to as my muscles protested the sudden movement, so I instead settled on curling up on my side as the dream passed, fading in the way of dreams. Coated in cold sweat, I slowly rose to my feet and grabbed a towel from my wall locker before heading to the showers. The spray of water helped to wash away the last lingering images, and I felt much improved as I headed back to my room.

Putting on my Earth Alliance uniform – a two-tone blue jacket with a red collar, white slacks, and blue boots, I was playing a game with Torii when a knock came at my door, and Flay's voice called, "Kira?"

"Yes," I called back, giving her permission to enter.

Flay was looking pretty cute in her uniform. Her jacket was pink and white, and she was wearing a black mini-skirt, thigh-high stockings that left a bit of skin bare between stocking and skirt, and a pair of pink boots. "A member of the ground crew asked me to give this to you," she announced as she came in.

I let Torii flit up to a perch as she held up a yellow paper flower and explained, "He said that it must be yours, since it was in the Strike's cockpit."

Smiling, I remembered the little girl, Elle, giving me the flower and thanking me for protecting all the refugees before she and her mom had boarded the shuttle to the _Menelaos_. Taking it, I explained that to Flay before saying, "The Duel fired on the refugee shuttle. I was only able to deflect the shot in time, but if it had hit all those people would have died."

"That's horrible," Flay gasped. "Why would he do something like that?"

All I could do was shake my head – so far the Duel's pilot had demonstrated a single-minded obsession with destroying the strike, to the point that he had put himself in mortal danger a couple of times in his attempts. There was nothing in my experience to explain that, but Flay had an idea.

"You don't think that there's something wrong with him? The Coordinator piloting the Duel?" she wondered. "Maybe the genetic modifications he had done are affecting his brain?"

"Flay," I sighed, sitting down on the bed and patting the mattress next to me, "Flay, we don't choose to be Coordiantors – that's a decision made by our parents, often before we're even born. You keep confusing Coordiantors with Augmentors – people who choose to have their genes tampered with, usually for no good reason."

She dissembled, saying, "Well, do you think the modifications his parents had done on him are affecting him, the Duel's pilot?"

I could only shrug. It wasn't beyond reason, though it did stretch credibility – the nine month process of gestation usually settled genetic instabilities.

"Look, Kira," Flay said, changing the subject, "I wanted to talk to you about that kiss the other day."

"Okay," I responded, my heart rate quickening as I remembered the way Flay had felt leaning against me.

She admitted, "I liked it, kissing you, and I thought, if you and I were together, that . . ."

"What about Sai?" I wondered.

"Sai," she sighed. "What Sai and I had was arranged by my father. It was a verbal agreement really, nothing formal, and now that my daddy's . . . now that he's . . ."

Reaching out, I gathered the girl into my arms, whispering, "It's okay to cry, Flay." I tried to blink back sympathy tears.

"Kiss me, Kira," Flay whispered. "Please, kiss me."

What was I to do? I leaned in and kissed the red-haired girl I'd been in love with from the first time I had seen her, and as my desire for her overcame my reason, I followed her as she leaned back onto the bed. Breaking the kiss I stared down at her while she held onto my shoulders, breathtakingly beautiful and so vulnerable.

"I like it when you kiss me," she admitted. "It's like the whole universe goes away."

She pulled my shoulders down, looking for that release from her troubles.

End Episode 14

NOTES: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making money from this fan fiction. This was always intended to be an AU, the Genie's Trap, and I put a couple of references in earlier episodes. Since Kira isn't torn up by the death of Elle and the other refugees, Flay can't use that to pursue her manipulations. Being a 16 year old boy, however, it doesn't take much to make him forget an earlier misgiving, especially when a pretty girl is involved. Questions and suggestions below, and thank you for helping me become a better writer.


	15. Burning Clouds of Sand

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Fifteen: Burning Clouds of Sand

Date: February 15th, C.E. 71

"We shouldn't be doing this, Flay," I sighed, resting my head against her shoulder rather than kiss her again.

"Why not?" she whispered back, her hands unfastening the jacket of my uniform.

Shaking by head, I asked her, "Please, can't we just . . . take our time? I love you, Flay Allster, but you just broke up with Sai, and I want to be sure that . . . that this isn't some guilt or grief reaction. Please?"

"Okay," she finally relented, but she greedily leaned in for another kiss.

Putting our clothes back on, I led Flay back to her quarters in the enlisted section and kissed her outside of the alcove she shared with Miriallia, then I returned to my quarters to get some sleep. Despite the fact that I'd been in a heat-induced coma for two days my dreams had been so disturbed since that I could hardly sleep. Fortunately, I was feeling less confused every time I woke up. Still, being with Flay had made me feel as if I were cheating on Megan Astor, the woman from my dream.

I was about halfway through the same dream when Crewman Dalida Chandra, Jr.'s voice called over the PA, _"Attention! All hands to level two battle stations. I repeat! All hands to level two battle stations."_

"The enemy!" I gasped, sitting up in bed. Climbing out of bed I put on my shoes and then tried to put on my pants. Instead of taking my shoes off, I forced them through the slightly stretchy material. "Why do the bad guys have to attack in the middle of the night?"

Pulling on my jacket, I was still doing up the fasteners as I left my quarters and headed to the pilot's ready room, cursing the military protocol that had me putting on clothes that I would just have to take off again to put on my flight suit. Why couldn't I keep the flight suit in my room? Or run from bedroom to ready room in my shorts.

Even Lieutenant La Flaga wasn't exempt from the rule – he was in his uniform, the jacket sleeves rolled up, when I passed him in the hanger. My heart hammering in my chest, I powered up the 17 meter tall mobile suit and connected the comm. to the Combat-Information-Controller to find that Miriallia Haw was already at her post. Still half asleep, I demanded, "Where's the enemy? The Strike is ready for takeoff!"

_"Kira? Wait! Not yet!"_ Miriallia responded.

"Why not?"

My aux. right monitor showed Ensign Natarle Badgiruel, the ships Combat Commander, who explained, _"We still don't know the position or size of the enemy!"_ She went on to add, _"And orders haven't been given to launch!"_

Growling in frustration, I relented, "Understood. Kira Yamato in Strike, standing by."

A minute later the order was given, the ensign announcing, _"Open hatch! Strike, launch! Stop the enemy helicopters! Be cautious of the gravity!"_

The maintenance cradle moved into position, lowering the mobile suit into the catapult chalks as Miriallia ran down her checklist. _"Connected to catapult! APU, online!"_

"_Launcher Striker +02, stand by!"_ was the equipment provided. _ "Power connections, satisfactory!"_

And finally I was given the go-ahead, _"Route clear! Strike, ready for takeoff!"_

Gravity made little appreciable difference as I was thrown out of the _Archangel_ via electromagnetic conduction, but I didn't try to fight gravity as it brought me down, instead using the thrusters to control the descent. Even then, the impact with the ground was jarring, rattling my teeth, and then frightening as the ground gave way under me. The loss of traction sent the machine crashing to its hands and knees as a trio of helicopters cleared the dunes.

Activating Phase Shift, I stood the Strike up while using the 75 millimeter head Vulcans to shoot down the rockets that were heading my way. Unfortunately, the shift in balance upset the sand, causing the left leg to sink into the loose ground. There was a part of me that wanted to reach for the Agni beam cannon, but against something like helicopters I fired the 120mm Vulcans from the combo weapons pods instead.

The burst of anti-ship rounds had the rotary aircraft scrambling for cover behind a dune, but one round managed to pass close enough to one that it turned sideways and crashed into the sand, its blades sheering off.

I tried leaping onto a dune to target the other helicopters, but the heavy landing had the sands slipping sideways, and I had to adjust quickly to keep the Strike from being buried. An alarm brought my attention up, and a trio of the strangest mobile suits I'd ever seen jumped over me. They were canine in appearance, with long bodies held off the ground by four legs that included tank-like treads. Wings extended from the back, with jet thrusters at the mid-point, and 15 rocket missile launchers took up a weapons hardpoint between the wings.

They fired their missiles, and using the head Vulcans I shot several down. Unfortunately, my mobile suit was nearly waist-deep in sand, so I could not target some of them. My energy reserves took a hit as the PS armor absorbed the kinetic damage.

_"Kira,"_ Miriallia cried in alarm at the sight of my predicament.

Sai came on, saying, _"Confirmed as TMF/A-802 ZAFT forces mobile suit, BuCUE!"_

Well, it was good that we knew what we were facing, but better that they couldn't take a shot designed to pierce the hull plating of space ships, and brought up the Agni. Unfortunately, what they lacked in heavy armor, they more than made up for in speed and maneuverability. Also, one of them dipped behind a dune to be replaced by a machine with a beam rifle on its back rather than a missile pod.

_"Kira! Move away!"_ Miriallia warned, but still trying to climb out the sand I was hit by a Sledgehammer missile from the _Archangel._

Swearing as the impact rocked the Strike, I noticed that it did have the benefit of shifting the sand, enough for me to clamber free, and I fired the thrusters trying to get a little altitude. I also fired the 350mm gunbarrels, the large projectiles hitting with enough force to cause the BuCUEs to swerve away from the craters it made. Landing, I paid attention to how the mobile suit was responding to the impact as the sand gave way beneath its feet. Jumping again, I fired the 120mm at the beam rifle equipped ZAFT machine, which dodged readily enough, but it was a close miss this time.

The contact pressure is decreased, I reasoned, so I've got to make adjustments to take that into account, right? Using the thrusters to increase my hang time I pulled out the keyboard and started making changes to the operating system. I estimated the pressure reduction, then, for the friction coefficient, I set the granular factor to minus 20.

When the Strike landed the servos and hydraulics in the legs took more of the impact, transmitting less energy into the sand. The mobile suit slid a couple meters down the side of a dune, but stopped before reaching bottom. I kneed one on the dog-like mobile suits when it tried to leap at me, then smacked another with the butt of the Agni when it tried to spring on my back. Pinning the second machine with the foot of the Strike, I aimed the Agni down and pulled the trigger, blowing a hole through the upper torso.

Another BuCUE cleared the rise, restoring the 3-machine formation that the ZAFT forces had been using, but thinking about my budding romance with Flay I announced, "I won't let you destroy the _Archangel!"_

The alert sounded, missiles behind, and I turned to fire the head Vulcans, the anti-air weapon, though a part of me wanted to use the anti-ship Vulcan instead. Leaping into the air to avoid another attack, I used the rocket anchor on the left forearm to strike the missile pod of one BuCUE. A powerful electromagnet on the anchor overpowered the electronics, and the remaining missiles were launched into random directions.

Above, four ovoids, energy encased projectiles, arched towards the _Archangel_, and I managed to shoot down two, but the other two hit, rocking the large ship. Landing, I found myself surrounded by the BuCUEs, but there was also another volley of projectiles incoming. That sensation of something bursting in my mind came again, and firing the 120mm I created a cloud of sand to obscure the sensors of the enemies on the ground before leaping into the air.

The maneuver was 67% effective, as one of the ZAFT mobile suits, anticipating my move, leapt at me. Using the thrusters, I punched the other machine, sending it into the path of one energy sheathed projectiles, and then calculating the trajectories of the remaining three I fired the Agni twice and managed to catch all of them.

Another BuCUE leapt at me, and I drew the beam boomerang from its port on the left shoulder. Rather than throw it, though, I raked the beam blade down the belly of the dog-like mobile suit as it passed overhead. One of the rear legs gave away, and that machine limped off, leaving only two machines in its place.

Dropping my eyes to the power gage, I saw that I was still good on energy, since I hadn't been using the Agni like a fiend, but that didn't mean I could go all out, either, especially as the two helicopters topped a dune to replace the damaged BuCUE. Surrounded, I took a rocket hit to the chest that knocked me down, and it seemed that even with my newfound clarity of mind the Strike would be destroyed. Then a rocket raced out from behind a dune, striking one of the helicopters.

It was followed by a dozen all-terrain vehicles – wheels up front and tracks behind – sporting various kinetic weapons – that fired on the ZAFT forces.

One truck pulled right up next to me, the driver firing some type of magnetic grappler onto the forearm armor of the mobile suit. It was a radio transmitter, short distance but powerful enough to jack into the Strike's comm. frequency. _"Attention, pilot of this mobile suit. Listen to me!"_

The voice when on to explain, _"If you don't wanna die, do exactly as I say! There's a trap set up at the location indicated. Lure the BuCUEs there."_

My radar monitor was jacked, displaying a local map with the area indicated. With little choice – the truck-mounted rockets weren't doing anything to the other mobile suits, which were massing for an attack – I leapt into the air and felt like I was playing leap-frog in order to reach the location indicated. Landing for the last time in the series, I turned to see that both BuCUEs were hot on my tail, and muttered, "I have no choice but to trust them."

Leaping as high into the air as I could, I watched as a set of explosives collapsed the ground under the BuCUEs. I was just thinking about the brilliance of the trap, which would incapacitate the mobile suits, requiring ZAFT to commit time and equipment to their recovery, when a second set of explosions created a column of fire hundreds of feet high. The explosive force was short of nuclear, but would probably be enough to destroy the two BuCUE and kill the pilots.

I landed the Strike and powered down the Phase Shift armor, considering the rag-tag force of all-terrain vehicles, wondering if their choice to destroy the ZAFT machines was the right thing to do. The second set of explosives could have been kept in reserve, to destroy the forces that would eventually come to collect the BuCUEs. However, I decided to allow for the benefit of the doubt as the _Archangel _landed nearby.

End Episode Fifteen

NOTES: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making money from this fan fiction. The major problem I had with this episode (besides the sex scenes added for the HD Remaster) was Kira's mismanagement of his weapons, and how ineffective his weapons seem to be. He uses 120mm anti-ship rounds to shoot down missiles, then uses the 75mm anti-air rounds to shoot at BaCUEs, while never using the 350mm gunbarrels at all. The only time he ever hits anything with the Agni is when in SEED mode, or using the butt of the cannon as a battering ram.

He uses the 120mm on a BaCUE, and the anti-ship rounds do so little damage that it's insulting. The armor on a space ship should be a lot thicker than any ground vehicle would conceivably be able to handle, yet it shrugs off the rounds and continues to fight. So, some changes there with his use of weapons, based on his time actually researching his equipment.

Another problem I had was how blood-thirsty Cagalli seems to be when she detonates the second set of explosives. From a military standpoint, it makes greater sense to leave the mobile suits damaged by salvageable so that Commander Waltfeld would commit resources to their recovery. When those resources arrive you set off the second set of explosives, killing the rescuers as well. The only explanations I can give are inexperience (on Cagalli's part) or extenuating circumstances (like forced local labor). If the ZAFT forces use conscripted locals in their recovery operations, then setting off the second explosion would kills dozens of locals, and that would be bad for Desert Dawn's credibility in the long run. I can't imagine Andy Waltfeld using forced conscripts, however, so I'll blame Cagalli.

Please leave comments below, and thank you!


	16. Cagalli Returns

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Sixteen: Cagalli Returns

Date: February 16th, C.E. 71

The sun rose over the desert as the _Archangel_ landed, extending stubby legs that held the ship off the ground. Standing the Strike nearby, I watched from the cockpit as the resistance members grouped their vehicles nearby, careful to point their weapons away from either ship or mobile suit. I did not face the machine towards the resistance, and instead watched them through the right monitor.

Most of them had dark skin and hair in shades of brown and black, however one of them did stand out from the rest. Fair skin, blond hair, a slight build, wearing a red tee shirt under a full flack vest, he was probably the best armored of the resistance members, but was carrying the least weapons, wearing just a pistol. He looked familiar, but I couldn't set the face in my memory and was fairly certain that I didn't know any North African freedom fighters.

The FX-550 Skygrasper piloted by Lieutenant Commander Mu La Flaga landed on the _Archangel_, and I was told via comm. that he and the Captain would be exiting the ship to speak to the resistance. It took nearly 10 minutes, but finally the two LTCs stepped off the ship, Murrue Ramius in her dress uniform, white and grey with a pencil skirt under the jacket, while Mu was still in his purple and black flight suit, though in his characteristic style, he had the collar undone. Both, I noticed, were wearing pistols at their belts as they went to meet the Resistance, who were mostly armed with assault rifles, though those rifles were studiously kept down or over their shoulders.

They were wearing microphones, too, broadcasting to the ship, which broadcasted to me in the Strike.

Captain Ramius started off with, _"I guess the proper thing to do is thank you for saving us. I'm Murrue Ramius of the Earth Alliance Forces 8__th__ Fleet."_

_ "Huh? Wasn't the 8__th__ Fleet completely wiped out?"_ one of the younger resistance members muttered.

That was unlikely – the last word from the fleet had been that the _Menelaos_ and a couple other ships had been destroyed, but once the fleet no longer had to worry about covering the _Archangel_ they had been able to out maneuver the three ZAFT ships – which was easy to do with 3-to-1 odds. However, some might view the flagship as the fleet, so the kid was probably misinformed.

Raising a hand to forestall further comment, the leader of the group responded, _"We're the Desert Dawn! My name is Sahib Ashman."_

I did a quick search of the 'Desert Dawn' and found that they had existed for some time. Originally, they had formed against the South African Union, which was backed by the Earth Alliance, but when ZAFT forces started pushing south from their Gibraltar base the guerilla movement had fought against them as well. Their leader, Sahib Ashman, was western-trained, and had been in the Egyptian Special Forces before Egypt had folded into one of the larger power blocks. He was a big man, with a big beard hiding a scar on his left cheek, and wearing a Kevlar vest over his shirt.

_"You don't need to thank us,"_ Sahib continued. _"I'm sure you know. We weren't necessarily fighting to save you."_

He finished with a derisive chuckle, and, _"We only attack our own enemies."_

Mu complemented them, _"You've been continuing this against the Desert Tiger for some time now?"_

Eyes narrowing, Sahib remarked, _"I recognize you from somewhere."_

_"I'm Mu La Flaga,"_ the blond-haired, blue-eyed, pilot said with a shrug, as if that should be enough. Though, he did add, _"I don't know anyone from this area."_

The resistance leader, however, recognized the name._ "I never expected I'd meet the Hawk of Endymion in a place like this."_

Both Earth Alliance officer stiffened at the recognition, but the captain responded evenly, _"You seem to be well-informed. Do you also know about us?"_

It turned out that he did._ "The crew of the Earth Forces' new assault ship, the _Archangel_, right?"_ He new a lot about us, continuing, _"You were chased by the Le Creuset Team and escaped here to Earth."_ Looking towards me, he added, _"And that . . ."_

He was interrupted by the blond teen I'd noticed earlier, who pronounced, _"X-105. A new model mobile weapon prototype of the Earth Forces, known as the Strike."_

Sahib sidestepped to block the teen from the sight of the officers. _"Let's see,"_ the man remarked to bring attention back to himself. _"Good to know now who you are. But, man, were we surprised to see such a source of disaster land here."_

_"I can only assume that you landed here by accident,"_ he allowed – based off of recent history we could have been the forerunner of an Earth Alliance resurgence into the area, so his statement was actually generous, _"but I'm curious to know . . . what you plan to do now."_

The two officers looked towards each other before Captain Ramius countered, _"Can we count on your cooperation?"_

Sahib gave another derisive chuckle before saying, _"If you're serious about talking, lower your guns first."_ Then he added, _"And let's see that pilot."_

Relenting, the captain allowed, _"Very well. Ensign Yamato! Come down here!"_

I put the Strike into standby, switching the MOS to the original version, and opened the cockpit. Taking the stirrup cable, I lowered myself to the ground and approached the group, pulling off him helmet as I came. My apparent youth surprised the gathering, and I heard a couple of resistance members complain, "That's the pilot?" "He's only a child."

That was rather rich, as I was pretty sure that at least three of their number who were younger than me.

However, their reactions were reasonable compared to the blond teen, who ran forward to meet me and block my path. "It's you," the teen said in a prepubescent pitch, with an expression of shocked recognition.

"Why?" he asked me. Then pulling his fist back he demanded, "Why the hell are you piloting that thing?"

I caught teen's wrist when he tried to throw a haymaker at me, still trying to place the face. And then I put it together – the face, the high pitch of the voice – he was a she, and she . . .

"You're that person I met back at Morgenroete."

"Let go!" she screamed, thrashing her arm and backhanding me across the cheek as cursed.

I let her go, and we faced off, me staring in surprise and her in anger until Sahib called her name, "Cagalli."

The girl glared, then straightened her posture and walked back to the resistance members. She stopped next to Sahib Ashman and said something to him while I went to join the Lieutenant Commanders. Now that the girl was back among the resistance members they relaxed visibly, all except for Sahib, who looked like he had chewed something sour unexpectedly, and the tallest of the group – a man with a compound bow and a quiver of arrows over one shoulder. That last always positioned himself beside the girl, like he was her bodyguard.

"Perhaps we can cooperate," Sahib announced. "Why don't you come to our base – we can share information, and try to find a way for your ship of misfortune to continue on its way."

The two senior officers shared a look, Mu shrugging and Captain Ramius responding, "That sounds like a good idea. Ensign, secure the Strike."

"Yes, ma'am," I told her, heading back to the mobile suit with the resistance members muttering in my wake.

"He's so young," one of them commented.

"That machine can't be too hard to pilot if a kid like that can do it," another added.

Well, wouldn't they be surprised if they tried. The Strike was unforgiving on the pilot, with high-g maneuvers putting such stress on the body that either special training and gear, or genetic predisposition, were required to stay conscious during combat maneuvers. LTC La Flaga could pilot a mobile suit if we could figure out an operating system that could filter his neural patterns, but I doubted if many among the Desert Dawn could the same.

Taking the stirrup cable back to the cockpit, I climbed inside and reactivated the Strike, taking a moment to focus on the blonde girl before heading over to the hanger. Meanwhile, the officers headed back into the ship via the landing leg, and it wasn't long before we were following the convoy of tracked and wheeled vehicles across the desert. Lieutenant La Flaga pulled me away from cleaning detail – the Strike was covered in sand from the earlier battle – to explain how I knew the girl.

"We met on Heliopolis," I explained. He gestured me to continue, so I went on, "She was a special guest of Professor Kato, our robotics engineering teacher, and was with us when the first bombs went off inside the colony. However, while the others ran for the closest shelter, she ran to the factory district where we found the mobile suits. Then she said something about her father betraying everyone and collapsed."

"Her father 'betraying everyone'?" Mu repeated.

"Those weren't her exact words, but, yea, that's what she said: "Father you've betrayed everyone," I think is what she said," I answered. It had been almost a month ago, and I'd been involved in multiple life-and-death situations and only recently recovered from heat stroke.

Nodding, the pilot gestured me to go on. "Well, I led her to a shelter, but they only had room for one more, so I shoved her in and went to find another shelter, and that was the last time I saw her until today."

"Hum, "Father, you've betrayed everyone,"" the military officer repeated. "Was she talking about the mobile suits or the ZAFT assault, I wonder."

"I think she was talking about the Gundams," I figured. "She told me that they were the "Earth Alliance's new mobile weapons" before saying that stuff about her dad."

When Mu gave me a questioning look I countered with my excuse of trauma and my recent recovery. He accepted that, and promised to pass the information along to the Captain. I, meanwhile, was to go back to cleaning the Strike – it was our best defense against another assault, and we needed it ready to sortie immediately if necessary.

The resistance base turned out to be in a valley between mesas, and as soon as we'd landed I was ordered to use the mobile suit to attach camouflage netting to the _Archangel_, to obscure the ship's silhouette rather than to hide it completely. It was actually fun to use the giant machine in a non-combat situation, and was grateful for the temperature-controlled interior as the thermometer was registering nearly 40 degrees Celsius. Below, in the canyon, people tried to stay in the shade as much as possible, though they sometimes stepped into the sunlight to get a better angle of the Strike or _Archangel._

We were finishing up, and I was taking a break from the cockpit, when Sai passed me carrying a coil of rope on each shoulder. "Good job," he encouraged me.

Feeling a little guilty for making out with his ex-girlfriend last night, I responded, "Yea, sure." Then I called, "Hey, Sai, can we talk later?"

"Actually, I need to talk to Flay: she's been shut up in her bunk all day," Sai said, halfway down the hill in front of me.

"It's about Flay," I told him.

Looking suspicious, my friend nodded, saying, "I'll bring by the motion adjustments that Kuzzey and Miriallia are working on, and we can talk then."

He continued down the hill, and was passed by the blonde teen coming up. Standing just below me in elevation, she still looked angry while saying, "I apologize for earlier. I didn't mean to hit you."

At my disbelieving look, she allowed, "Well, I guess I did . . . but it was a spontaneous thing. Forgive me."

Something about her posture and words had me laughing.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, balling up her fists.

"Well, think about it," I responded. The last time that we'd met I'd saved her life, and the first thing she did on meeting me again was to punch me. Sitting down put us on more of a level, though now I had to look up at her.

The change in position seemed to calm the girl down, and she admitted, "I kept thinking about you after that. About what happened to you."

I remembered the scene of our last parting. I had shoved her into the shelter lift, telling her, _"Get in."_

Struggling, she'd demanded, _"What are you . . ."_

_"Just get in!"_ I ordered, reassuring her, _"I'll go to the other side. I'll be all right. Hurry!"_

The lift was lowering when she called out, _"Wait! You . . ."_

I was brought back to the present by the girl exclaiming, "And then you arrive, piloting this thing!"

She was looking up at the Strike, which stood still and gray against the backdrop of the blue sky. "As if that's not bad enough," she accused, "You're now with the Earth Forces?"

I bowed my head in acceptance of the accusation, but countered, "Many things happened along the way. Many things." The last I said with a sigh before turning things around on her. "So, what are you doing in a place like this? I thought you were from Orb."

After a moment she responded, "I am from Orb. We've been working with the resistance to provide relief supplies to the war-torn settlements."

Looking her up and down, I noticed that she'd taken off her flack vest, but was still carrying her pistol – hardly the image of charity. "Anyway, I wanted to apologize, and I have. So, I'll be going now."

With that, she turned and strode away.

Climbing back into the Strike, I returned the mobile suit to the hanger and helped clean off the most recent coat of sand. Sai arrived with the new balance and impact algorithms and I started applying them to the mobile suit's Master Operating System.

"So, you wanted to talk to me," Sai prompted.

"Yea, um, Flay came on to me last night," I admitted, shame causing me to blush. "She, uh, kissed me, when I decided to stay aboard, just before that last battle in space, and last night she asked me to kiss her again, so I did."

"You . . . kissed . . . my fiancé?" Sai demanded in a tone that was shaky with anger.

Well, I might as well get it all out in the open. "Yea, I made out with her a little as well."

Sai got up and walked down the gantry – I thought he might have stalked off, but he came back, pacing back and forth in front of the cockpit. When he'd finally settled down, I explained, "She told me that she'd called it off with you, but I still felt guilty, so I thought I should talk to you first. You're my friend, so . . . yea."

At the word 'friend' I'd gotten such a hateful look that I couldn't finish the sentence. "I need to talk to Flay," Sai said, getting up to walk away for real this time. "I need to hear this from her side."

Nodding, I went back to work on the MOS and was typing away when Chief Murdock looked in on me. "Well, well. What are you doing this time?"

"I played a little with the landing pressure in the last battle," I explained, "so I'm making the appropriate adjustments."

"That makes sense," the chief petty officer mused. "You're a really useful pilot, you know," he complemented. "You're suddenly giving it your full attention, Ensign Yamato!"

He laughed while walking away, leaving me to think, _"I've got no choice but to do it! It was my choice to stay on board to protect my friends, to accept the commission, so I might as well do it right!"_

Finishing the project, I put the mobile suit in standby before heading out of the ship through the landing leg. I had barely left the ship, looking forward to spending time with people, when I heard my name and turned to find Flay running towards me. She caught hold of my arm and hid behind me as Sai came into view.

All I could think to say at the moment was, "Hey."

He turned his head at seeing us together and explained, "I need to talk to Flay. Could you give us a minute, Kira?"

"No," Flay exclaimed. "I told you Sai, it's over between us. I'm with Kira now."

I tried to reason, "Yea, but Flay, Sai's my friend, and even if he isn't your fiancé any more he's still your friend, too. I love you, but I don't want to jump into a relationship before you're ready."

"God, what do I have to do, rape you?" the girl shrieked. "What is it going to take to make you realize that I want you as much as you want me?"

"Flay, I . . .," I . . . what? Her statement was pretty shocking, and both Sai and I stared at her with dumbfounded expressions.

"Flay, you hate Coordinators," Sai revealed. "Your father might not have been a member of Blue Cosmos, but I know that he gave money to them."

She countered, "You're the one who kept telling me to think of Kira as a person, not a Coordinator. Well, he's stronger, smarter, and a lot cooler than you, Sai."

It was true that I was stronger, but we'd never determined which of us was smarter, and I'd always thought that Sai was cooler than me. Sai was a natural, with no genetic augmentation for enhanced intellect, yet at 17, not only was he a student at a technical college, he was the project lead on the Kato Seminar. He was also politically and financially connected in the Atlantic Federation, and would likely go on to be someone important within the AF when I was working at Morgenroete.

"Let's sit down and talk," I encouraged. "I'm tired from last night's battle, but I wanted to spend some time with my friends before I turned in."

"You could spend time with me," Flay suggested, implying that we do so alone.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, I said, "Come on," and was pulling her away from the ship when a whistle started to blow in the distance.

End Episode Sixteen

NOTES: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making money for this fan fiction. Not many changes here, except for the confrontation with Sai – after establishing that Kira and Sai worked together for almost a year under Professor Kato, and after surviving so many situations together, I thought that it made more sense for Kira to talk to Sai about what happened. The other logical choice would be Tolle, but the episode provided an opening for Kira and Sai, so I rolled with that.

Because Kira broke the news first, the confrontation at the end is different – a little more awkward, I think. Let me know in the comments section below!


	17. Payback

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Seventeen: Payback

Date: February 16th, C.E. 71

Even before the whistle stopped blowing the voices of the resistance fighters were calling back and forth for information, vehicles and ammo. Curious, I jogged ahead of Flay and Sai to find out what was going on only to find the people scrambling about like the proverbial kicked anthill. From what little I could gather a nearby town was on fire – a town where the majority of the resistance fighter's families lived. The others caught up to me, and we were passed by the blonde girl, Cagalli, I thought her name was, who called out to the leader of the Desert Dawn.

"Sahib!"

Sahib Ashman was speaking to a group of men near a set of rear-track trucks, all of whom seemed intent on going to check on the town. "I need half of you to remain here," the resistance leader stressed.

There were several angry mutters, forcing Sahib to order, "Calm down!" before explaining, "There may be a secondary force!"

Apparently, they'd been lured into ambush before, because the more senior members of the resistance seemed to see reason. Still, there were a lot of younger members who grabbed weapons before jumping into trucks. Younger members of Desert Dawn ignored Ashman's admonition of, "Hold down the fort!" as they loaded weapons into trucks and followed, including Cagalli and her silently disapproving bodyguard.

We barely heard the captain calling over the din, "All hands, return to the ship at once! Take defensive positions!"

I joined the throng headed for the ship, turning to wave when Flay called my name, but not stopping. Lieutenant Commander La Flaga was several yards ahead, and I put on a burst of speed, arriving at the entry hatch just a few seconds behind. Vaulting up the steps in a single bound surprised the security guard on duty, but I had no time and barely broke stride as I turned left and headed for the hanger.

"Kira," the commander called from the Skygrasper, "I'm going ahead – standby in the Strike in case there's a secondary force."

"Okay," I called back while still running for the ready room to change into a flight suit.

Mu was gone by the time I got back to the hanger and took the gantry lift up to the Strike's cockpit, but I powered up the comm. in time to hear the man report, _"Wow. This is bad. Total destruction."_

Those last two words reminded me of Heliopolis, of the complete disregard shown by the ZAFT forces as they brought heavy weapons into the already damaged colony, almost guaranteeing its complete collapse.

I nearly cheered when the commander reported, _"La Flaga here. There are survivors from the town!"_ His follow up of, _"Or more accurately, a large number of people seem to be okay,"_ confused me as much as it did him. _"I don't understand it."_

_"And the enemy?"_ the captain prompted.

_"No longer any sign of them,"_ was the answer.

While my military career was less than a month old, I had to agree with the commander that things weren't adding up. ZAFT forces attacked a town that they must have known was affiliated with a resistance group, leaving hundreds of survivors, only to pull out before their true targets – the fighters themselves – arrived to check on their loved ones? I was bursting with curiosity, but told to remain on standby before my connection to the bridge was terminated.

It had been such a long day that I rotated the cockpit back and actually managed to fall asleep for a few hours, being brought awake my Miriallia's voice. _"Kira! Prepare the Strike for launch!"_

"Roger!" I responded, blinking away the last vestiges of grogginess. Running through the final part of the power-up sequence, I also rotated the cockpit back to its default position.

Over the PA Miriallia ran through her checklist:

_"Activate APU!"_

_ "Connected to catapult!"_

_ "Attach the Aile Striker++ Pack."_

_ "Aile Striker, standby!"_

_ "Systems, all green!"_

Finally, I was told, _"Course clear! Go ahead, Strike!"_

After launch, I was given a rundown of the situation. _"Several Desert Dawn members have gone after the ZAFT occupation forces, which include at least 2 trucks and three BuCUEs"_ Miriallia explained.

"What do they hope to accomplish?" I wondered.

After a moment Captain Ramius came on, explaining, _"We believe that they're going after Andrew Waltfeld, the Commander of the ZAFT forces stationed in Banadiya, believing that the BuCUEs will be out of rockets. However, they do not have the weapons needed to take down the heavy machinery. Your mission is to defend the resistance members; drive off the mobile suits, but do not pursue. Understood?"_

"Understood," I told her, adjusting my course. The sun was rising, and I put it at my back as I raced to catch up with the resistance members.

Ten meters tall at the shoulder and nearly fifteen meters long, the BuCUE had three propulsion methods – four legs for high maneuverability, treads on the legs for stability, and jets on a pair of spoiler-like wings for high speed. It could out pace most land-based vehicles with a burst from the jets and simply crush them under their tank treads. Weighing in at 69 metric tons, it was equipped with heavy armor that could stop most vehicle mounted weapons, and made it practically impervious to hand-held weapons. For desert combat it was an ideal weapon system.

At the extreme long range of my sensors I picked up two heat carries, a large signal chasing a much smaller one, and using the two-hand targeting approach I took careful aim before firing, missing by a slim margin, but at least I got the attention of the BuCUE that had been about to run down a resistance truck. Reaching effective range I fired again.

"I missed!" I growled before realizing, "I see, the heat convection is causing it!"

Pulling out the keyboard I typed one-handed while running, then used the Aile Striker's thruster pack to launch the Gundam into the air, dodged two missiles launched from the BuCUE, and managed a shot that severed the connection between the ZAFT machine and the missile launcher it was carrying on its back. Even though that wasn't quite what I wanted, it was a much closer miss than usual, and evidence that the MOS was improving.

Landing, I blocked another rocket attack and took stock of the situation. "Three enemy machines. But one is immobile." There were also four resistance trucks that were pulling back, and evidence of four more that had either been crushed or bashed to junk by the mobile suits. Spotting resistance survivors on the battlefield, I moved away, drawing the two BuCUEs with me.

Both were piloted by experienced men, but I thought that Athrun and the pilots of the other GAT-X Gundams had been better. Maybe these guys were the green-coats that I had been told about by Commander La Flaga – standard soldiers rather than the Special Forces. Whatever the reason, I took aim with the beam rifle, confident that this would be a crippling hit, when a rocket hit the right shoulder of the Strike.

"The third machine?" I wondered, landing and blocking a follow up attack with the shield, "It can still move?"

Around the third BuCUE the other two quickly rallied, taking up a triangular formation and side-swiping the Strike, knocking me off balance before attacking with rockets. I took one to the chest before I leapt into the air to dodge only to find myself facing the third BuCUE, and I fired the 120mm shoulder-mounted anti-armors, hitting one of the jet thrusters.

Falling backwards, I used the Aile pack to keep from hitting the desert surface and struggled to reorient myself as the trio of mobile suits maneuvered for another attack. As I had noted before the BuCUE was ideal for the environment, a lot more versatile than the Strike, or any other human-shaped mobile suit. Being led by an elite, the two other pilots were showing far more skill than before, and as things were now I was in serious danger.

Again, I felt that clarity of thought, and slowed the Strike, allowing five missiles to pass me, their proximity sensors causing them to go off. I then turned, heading straight for the triangular formation and dropping the anti-beam shield. The three pilots were so focused on me that the one on the left of the formation didn't see the shield until the last moment, when he drove his mobile suit right into it. Using the opening, I fired my beam rifle, but the pilot was skilled enough to dodge on the MS' four legs, but dodging between missiles, I was able to get close enough to use the beam saber to sever one of his wings.

Without the second jet to stabilize thrust, the BuCUE was out of the fight, allowing me to focus on the remaining two.

Rifle in one hand and beam saber in the other, I flew low to the ground towards the two dog-like mobile suits, closing the distance quickly. When the lead mobile suit launched rockets I did a series of back-flips, using the Aile thrusters to kick up a cloud of sand before following up with the head Vulcans to destroy the missiles. Reversing thrust, I got clear of the cloud to find one of the BuCUEs trying to leap over me – perhaps in an attempt to outflank me. Quickly raising the rifle I shot that one through, hitting the fuel cell, which exploded spectacularly.

The last complete BuCUE made a high-speed pass, but without the support of the other mobile suits I was able to sidestep and slash with the beam saber, severing one of its front legs. No longer stable enough to continue the fight, it and the one-winged mobile suit turned tail and struggled to catch up with the trucks. Checking my power gage, I saw that I was getting close on my power reserves, and besides, my orders had been to drive the ZAFT machines away.

Instead of pursuing I headed over to where the Desert Dawn members had gathered and stepped out of the Strike to confront them. At the head of the group was the blonde girl, with her body guard standing just slightly behind.

"Are you trying to get killed?" I demanded of her.

"In a place like this?" I gestured to the desert, to the slightly rolling expanse of barren hills that stretched in ever direction, so different from the somewhat tropical island chain of the United Emirates of Orb. "There's absolutely no reason to."

"How dare you?!" she growled back. Running forward, she grabbed my collar, turning me slightly to see the youngest of the resistance members laying motionless on a blanket. "Bastard!" she accused, "Look!"

"We all fought desperately!" the girl hissed. "We're all fighting desperately! All to protect the people and things that mean so much to us!"

Except that she, the blonde, Cagalli, had no connection to these people. Her money paid for the weapons and fuel that they used to fight the occupation forces. She was a citizen of the Orb Union, not a North African resistance fighter, and the only stake she had in the war were the friendships that she made with a people who were essentially using her.

Bringing my right hand around, I slapped Cagalli across the face as hard as I could. The resistance members looked shocked, while the girl's bodyguard's expression remained impassive.

Strength and will, I remembered. Commander La Flaga had said that I had the strength to protect those around me, but Admiral Halburton had questioned if I had the will to fight a war. I still didn't know if I had the will to do that, but I did have the will to protect. Cagalli, a native of the United Emirates of Orb, may have had the will to fight a war that was not her own, but she lacked the strength.

"What the hell can you protect," I demanded, "with just your feelings?"

She looked up at me with a wide-eyed expression on her face, equally shocked by my words as by being slapped. Turning my back on her and the stunned resistance members I walked back to the Strike, exhausted physically and emotionally. I still needed to sit down with Flay and figure out where my relationship with her was going, if it was going anywhere at all.

End Episode 17

NOTES: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making money off of this fan fiction. Not many changes to this episode as Kira shows adequate skill in dealing with mobile suits that are suited to the environment and manned by experienced pilots, being led by one of the best commanders ZAFT has on the ground.


	18. Fangs of the Enemy

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Eighteen: Fangs of the Enemy

Date: February 20th, C.E. 71

To be honest, I didn't know what to expect when told that we would be going to Banadiya for supplies. Lieutenant La Flaga had told me that it was the largest city in the region, where the local ruler had built his palace, but that the city had also changed hands twice in as many years. First the Earth Alliance had come in to stop 'ethnic cleansing' and secure access to the regions crude oil reserves, and then they were forced out by ZAFT forces. I had expected to see something like the burned out ruins of Tassil, but as far as I could tell the city was completely intact.

All the buildings were whole, without even bullet holes in the walls to show that it had been fought over so many times.

I had expected the people to be frightened and furtive, quickly moving between buildings so as to avoid the attention of ZAFT soldiers that roamed the streets. The opposite was true – the people moved around freely, going about their business, and there was no sign of soldiers as the two trucks stopped in the middle of the street to let Cagalli and me out. We drew no undue attention, either, with our pale skin; though we did wear civilian clothes and were not carrying weapons.

"See you in exactly four hours," Cagalli confirmed with her usual bodyguard.

"Be careful," the tall man admonished.

"I know," she replied. "You too. Al-Jairi is one person we can't let down our guard against, right?"

In the lead car, Ensign Badgiruel tried to encourage me, "En . . . enjoy your time, Yamato. I . . . I'm counting on you."

Her words were forced, because Natarle Badgiruel had been against me leaving the ship. She had her reasons, I was sure, but I didn't know what they were, having arrived outside the Captain's Office at the tail end of the conversation.

_"Ensign Badgiruel!"_ the captain had said, accompanied by the slam of hands on a flat surface – perhaps Murrue Ramius had slapped her desk. _"Your concerns are noted, however, my decision stands. I will not confine Ensign Yamato to the _Archangel_ when he has done NOTHING to give me reason to doubt his loyalty to this ship or her crew. You are dismissed, ensign."_

A furious looking Ensign Badgiruel had stepped out of the office looking like she had eaten something that didn't agree with her, only to pale when she realized that I was standing in the hall. _"Ensign Yamato,"_ she had said in passing, acknowledging my presence as she hurried down the hall.

Captain Ramius had called me in, and given me the assignment of helping Cagalli Yula in purchasing personal supplies for the _Archangel's _crew – things that would make life aboard the ship a little more pleasant.

"Let's go," Sahib Ashman, the leader of the Desert Dawn, ordered, and the two trucks continued down the road.

Cagalli interrupted my musing by calling out, "Hey. What's that absent-minded look for?" She followed up by chiding me, "You're supposed to be my bodyguard, right?"

I picked something else to talk about, asking, "Are you sure this is where the Tiger's headquarters are?" Looking at all the normal people going about their lives I couldn't help but wonder, "It looks awfully lively and peaceful."

"Come with me!" the girl ordered, and led me a few blocks down the road. When she came to a stop she explained, "It may look peaceful, but looks can be deceiving."

An entire city block worth of buildings had been reduced to a large crater framed by cracked concrete and twisted rebar. Something powerful had penetrated the ground before exploding outward with enough force to create the pit that remained. It seemed completely at odds with the sound of children playing a game of tag on the street behind us.

"That is the real ruler of this city," Cagalli noted, and I looked up over the tops of the buildings to where the top of the _Lesseps_ land-battleship was visible. "Anyone who rebels is mercilessly killed," she told me. "This place belongs to ZAFT. To the Desert Tiger."

It was then that I realized that the locals avoided looking at this block, and that us standing here, discussing this, was making us stand out. "We should move on," I warned, "We're attracting attention."

"Right, do you have the list of supplies?" she responded, and I pulled out the typed up strip of paper. "Let me see that," she ordered while snatching it out of my hand.

"Hey," I complained.

"Who knows the area better," she reasoned while looking over the list. "Well, I know where to get most of this. Come on, follow me."

I had no choice but to follow – as she had reminded me I was supposed to be her bodyguard. For some reason her usual bodyguard didn't want Cagalli meeting with this Al-Jairi person, but Cagalli was the real money behind Desert Dawn. The bodyguard had gone with the other group as a proxy, but even then there was a risk.

We walked from shop to booth to vendor, checking the items off the list while I kept an eye out for trouble. As time passed, I became less bodyguard and more pack mule as I was loaded down with bags. Everyone we talked to seemed obsessed with haggling, and I got the sense that not trying to haggle down a price would be a grave insult. Cagalli was good at haggling, and demonstrated an attention to detail that surprised me. Her strength, I came to realize, was that she had an intuitive grasp of people, so I let her haggle while watching the crowd.

"Okay," she announced, adding to my pack. "We're moving on to the next place."

At least she'd bought me a backpack to help me carry everything.

A little over three hours after starting, we took a break at a café near the bombed out block. Like before, Cagalli haggled while I kept watch, not really listening to what she was ordering.

"We have most of what we need," Cagalli noted, reviewing the list. She then pointedly accused me, "But these requests from that girl, Flay, are ridiculous. Elisario brand milky lotion? Beauty wash? These things aren't sold here!"

My thoughts turned to Flay, but were interrupted by the plate of food: a circular piece of flatbread with a few thinly sliced piece of meat and vegetables.

"What's this?"

"Doner kebab!" the girl cheered. "Phew! I'm tired, and hungry."

Hungry, I could believe: the ZAFT attack on Tassil had destroyed all their food reserves, and the crew of the _Archangel_ had gone on rations again to help feed the resistance fighters and their displaced families. Tired, however, I disagreed with – I was the one who'd been carrying an increasingly heavy backpack and two cloth bags for nearly three hours.

"Let's eat," she enthused. "First, add some of this chili sauce."

"Stop, right there!" a voice called out, and a man ran over to confront us. "Wait one moment!"

Taking hold of a second squeeze bottle that had been delivered with the food, he admonished, "How could you add chili sauce to kebab? The proper thing to do is to add some of this yogurt sauce!"

He had the dark tan of a long-time resident of the region, with slightly unkempt brown hair and mutton chops that extended down his jawline. A flat-topped straw hat with a red band, sunglasses, and a garish yellow and red dress shirt completed his outfit. From his carefree smile and enthusiasm I wondered if he was supposed to be a traveling food critic or part of some hidden camera show. Neither seemed likely, but he didn't seem to be a threat, either.

Going on, he reasoned, "Or, rather than saying that it's the proper thing, how should I put it?" He thought for a moment before exclaiming, "Right! Not adding yogurt sauce to this dish is a form of sacrilege against doner kebab!"

"What's wrong with you?" Cagalli demanded. "You have no right to walk up to strangers and tell them how to eat!"

To the horror of the stranger she coated her kebab with chili sauce, and while the man bemoaned, "What a waste!" she folded up the flatbread and took a big bite.

"De-li-cious!" the girl enthused, breaking the word into its base syllables for emphasis. Thrusting the bottle of chili sauce at me, Cagalli ordered, "Here. You, too." I was almost afraid that she was going to shove the nozzle on the bottle up my nose as she added, "Kebab and chili sauce are made for each other!"

"Hey! Wait!" the man objected. "Don't force your bad habits on this guy!"

When he pushed the other bottle towards me, Cagalli forced his hand aside with the chili bottle, demanding, "What are you doing? Stay out of this!"

The man countered, "Well what are you doing?"

With a curse he sprayed half my kebab with yogurt sauce and Cagalli sprayed the other half with chili sauce, making an unappetizing mess on my plate. There was really nothing for it, so as the two antagonists put their bottles down I folded up the flatbread and took a bite.

"Well, I apologize for that," the man said, inviting himself to sit down at our table.

"No," I countered, "Actually a mix of the two isn't bad either."

He lounged in the chair and noted the bags, exclaiming, "But look at all the shopping you did. Are you having a party?"

"Shut up," Cagalli snapped. "It's none of your business." She then started interrogating the man. "Who are you, anyway? You seat yourself at our table, and start lecturing us about nonsense."

The man noticed it a moment before I did – a man popped up on the rooftop wielding a large cylinder over one shoulder that he aimed at the street. "Get down," the man ordered as he kicked the table over onto its side.

Grabbing Cagalli, we took cover behind the table with the strange man, who asked, "Are you two all right?"

From an alcove across the street, four men with machine guns ran out, firing in our general direction. Meanwhile, our strange table companion pulled out a machine pistol he'd been hiding under his shirt. Definitely not a food critic.

"Wh-What's going on?" the girl asked, a little dazed from the rocket explosion in the café behind us.

For answer, we heard one man call out, "Die, Coordinator! You monster from the skies!"

"For the preservation of our blue and pure world!" another shouted.

"Blue Cosmos!" Cagalli identified them – the extremist anti-Coordinator movement.

Behind us, a pair of other café patrons had also produced machine pistols and were returning fire against the Blue Cosmos members. "Go ahead!" our table companion called to the other men, "Eliminate them all!"

A handgun skidded to the ground next to me, dropped by one of the Blue Cosmos members, but my attention was drawn to movement in a nearby alley – a man with an assault rifle was lurking, stepping out of the alley as our table companion stood to fire at our attackers. Reacting mostly on instinct, I leapt from cover, grabbed the handgun, and threw it like I would the beam boomerang on the Sword Strike. My improvised weapon struck the man's support hand, causing him to jerk the gun up at the last moment and fire wildly into the air. Meanwhile, I sprinted forward, and like I was jumping a hurdle at a track meet I kicked the man high on the chest, knocking him to the ground.

"Okay, it's over!" my strange companion called to the others, one of whom walked over to shoot the man I'd knocked down.

I wanted to object to the summary execution, but before I could Cagalli demanded, "Don't you even know how to use a gun?" I glared at her, and she relented, "Well, whatever the case . . ."

We both looked as a military truck pulled up, a ZAFT soldier climbing out and frantically calling, "Commander! Are you all right?"

He was speaking to the man in the flat-top hat and loud shirt, who responded, "Yeah. I'm all right. Thanks to that guy," nodding towards me.

The man took off his hat and sunglasses like an actor in a play who was suddenly revealing his identity, and Cagalli murmured, "Andrew Waltfeld," in a startled voice. "The Desert Tiger."

Walking over, ZAFT Commander Andrew Waltfeld announced, "Boy, you saved my life! Thank you."

"I was actually trying to protect her," I said, nodding to Cagalli.

"Regardless, I'm grateful," the man responded. "You both look like a right mess, though. Let's go back to my place and get you cleaned up. DeCosta, these two had some bags; could you make sure that no one runs off with them while you police this scene?"

"Yes, sir," the soldier, DeCosta, responded enthusiastically.

Cagalli seemed to be in shock, and refusing the offer seemed like a bad idea at the time. When we reached the palace – built from oil revenues by the region's original ruler – I wished I had refused. A dozen ZAFT soldiers walked the courtyard, with a few GINN and CGUE mobile suits for additional firepower standing about.

"Please, come with me," Commander Waltfeld said as he stepped out of the car.

"No, we really must be going," I tried to dissemble.

"Nonsense," the man chided. "Not only did I interrupt your meal and have you save me," he countered, "she's got sauce all over her clothes. I cannot allow you to return like this." In a contrite tone he added, "Okay? I just wouldn't feel right."

We really didn't have a choice at this point, because we were surrounded by solders with automatic weapons that were taking a keen interest in their commander's guests. From Waltfeld's expression, he knew full well that we had nowhere to run, and seemed perfectly at ease turning his back on us and walking up the steps to the palace that he had wrested from the Earth Alliance a year earlier.

As we mounted the steps I considered the briefing that Lieutenant Commander La Flaga had given me that morning. It had included two photos of Andrew Waltfeld – one an official looking portrait of a years younger Waltfeld from back before the war had started. His hair had been in a buzz cut, and his face had been clean shaven. The other photo had been a rather grainy photo taken by Earth Alliance Intelligence shortly before ZAFT forces had routed the EA in this region. In that photo his hair had still been in a buzz cut, and I could only assume that he'd adopted the wilder look in response to the wilder environment he found himself fighting in.

"This way," a ZAFT soldier said, ushering us into the palace, which was finely furnished.

We were in a hallway that was lined with doors and branched into two hallways at the end. Armed soldiers guarded some of the doors, but standing in the middle of the hall was a beautiful woman wearing a shoulder-less blue jumpsuit and arm gloves with voluminous white pleats at the top. She had been genetically altered for either beauty or athleticism, with lustrous black hair highlighted by yellow on either side of her bangs, and well-proportioned features.

She was standing in front of an open door, and called through it, "Is this the girl, Andy?"

"Yeah. Do what you can to clean her up," Waltfeld called from the room. "She's got chili sauce, yogurt sauce and tea on her."

With a sultry walk, the woman approached, appraising Cagalli as she exclaimed, "Oh, my. You were having kebab, weren't you?" She looked Cagalli up and down before nodding, and stepping between us she put an arm around my charge and led her away, saying, "Here, come with me."

"C-Cagalli," I said in a cautious tone, following them.

"Don't worry," the woman said to reassure me, "We'll be done in no time." Passing the open door she gestured inside, saying, "Please wait here with Andy."

'Andy' called out to me, saying, "Hey, this way."

The room was a sitting room with a service tray sitting on the table to one side. Waltfeld was working the service when I entered, and he turned to me to exclaim, "I have great confidence in my coffee."

Well, that explained the bitter scent in the air, but I was more interested in the room's furnishings. Against the far wall was a large window, with a lamp table next to it. There was a mantle place to the left of the window, next to a pair of couches. Everything seemed original to the palace.

"Come on," the man admonished me. "Have a seat. Make yourself at home."

I walked further into the room, drawn to the mantel place which had a stone carving over it that depicted some type of fossil.

"Evidence 01," I was told. "Have you ever seen the real thing before?"

"No," I answered while remembering the facts surrounding the original. Discovered by George Glenn, the first Coordinator, in an asteroid around Europa, it was now housed in Aprilius One, the capital of the PLANTs.

"I have no idea why they call this thing a whale stone," Waltfeld mused as he handed me a small cup of coffee. "Does it look like a whale to you?"

"Well, I can't really be sure," I replied, which was the truth, as I'd never seen a whale skeleton before to make a comparison.

"No matter how I look at it, those look like wings," he pointed out the admittedly wing-like pattern of bones above the main body. "Whales normally don't have wings, do they?"

"Well, no," I agreed. "But this is supposed to be proof," I countered, "that Earth was visited by extraterrestrials creatures, so . . ."

At least, that's what I'd been told once – 'the claim made by Coordinators' – but I rather thought it was evidence that life could exist in a myriad of forms away from our little blue planet.

The ZAFT commander in civilian clothes pressed, "But my point is, why is this a whale?"

I countered by asking, "What would be a better name for it?"

While I waited for his reply I took a sip of the coffee and found that it tasted like coffee to me, a little bitter and smelling like burnt beans, which was a little disappointing given Waltfeld's said confidence in his coffee.

"Nothing really comes to mind," he finally admitted. "By the way, how's the coffee?" Taking in my expression, he allowed, "Perhaps you haven't acquired an adult taste yet."

He gestured for us to sit on the couches opposite each other and changed the subject, looking back at the 'whale stone'. "Well, as enjoyable as it is, it's also troublesome."

"Troublesome, you say?"

"Don't you think so?" he wondered. "All because they found this thing, it created all this hope . . . or possibility," Waltfeld explained. "That people can go much further."

After a sip of coffee, he added, "The main reason this war got started."

I didn't quite follow his reasoning. As far as I could tell, this war had been started by a horrific act and bad timing when the UN assembly on Copernicus had been murdered, the only survivor being the Chairman of the PLANTs, who'd had shuttle problems and was running late. According to 'Andy', the war had been started by jealousy that some people could go further than others.

There was a knock on the door, and a woman's voice called through, "Andy."

Andrew Waltfeld's face lit up and the woman, Aisha, led Cagalli into the room. My friend was wearing a mint-green, floor length dress with a diagonal frill of lace running from her hip to ankle and back up the back of the skirt. In addition to that, she was wearing a thick gold necklace with a large ruby, matching earrings, and had her hair up. Perhaps embarrassed by the finery, Cagalli rather childishly tried to hide behind Aisha, but the woman was having none of that.

Taking Cagalli by the shoulders the woman encouraged, "Hey. Go on," and pushed the girl into the room.

For a moment I thought my friend was going to trip on the pair of high heels that she was wearing, but then Cagalli got her balance. She looked nice; in that outfit I couldn't believe that the last two times we'd met I'd mistaken her for a boy. Rather befuddled, I managed to say, "A . . . girl?"

Taking offense, the blonde stalked forward, a difficult feat in a frilly dress and heels, but she managed it, accusing, "How dare you?!"

"N-No! I was trying to say that you reminded me that you're a girl!" I tried to correct.

"That's the same thing!"

Our exchange had our hosts laughing, Aisha was actually holding her sides, she was laughing so hard. Their humor was rather embarrassing to both Cagalli and me. What I wanted to say was that she looked nice, but still didn't look quite like herself. Perhaps it was best that I didn't say anything else, though, because I seemed to always say the wrong thing.

"Thank you, Aisha," Waltfeld said as he mastered his mirth. "Could you please make sure that we're not disturbed? I'd like a few words with these young people."

With a nod, the Coordinator woman nodded her head and excused herself. "Of course, Andy."

He gestured towards the couch I'd been sitting on and offered, "Why don't you both have a seat. Tell me, miss, do you like coffee?"

"Yes, thank you," Cagalli said as she came around the couch and sat down.

After serving her, the ZAFT commander sat, commenting, "That dress looks very nice on you. It would even appear that you're quite accustomed to dressing like that."

"Say what you want," she spat back before taking a sip of her coffee.

With a shrug of his shoulders the man noted, "If you didn't talk, you'd be the perfect woman."

Cagalli answered that with, "Well, I'm finding it hard to believe that you're the Desert Tiger." She then proceeded to accuse him, "Why are you going around making people wear dresses? Is this more of your fun and games?"

Waltfeld pointed out, "Well, it was Aisha who selected that dress. I don't quite follow what you mean by 'fun and games'."

"Going out in the city disguised," she clarified, "or having residents evacuate a town before burning it. That's what I mean."

Our host seemed to change the subject when he commented, "You've got nice eyes. They're sincere." He looked into her eyes for a long moment before repeating, "Very nice eyes."

Half rising, Cagalli slapped her hands on the table and warned, "Don't trifle with me!"

"Cagalli," I warned.

His eyes narrowing, the military man wondered, "Are you another of those who would rather be dead?"

"What about you?" Waltfeld asked, directing his question at me. "What do you think?"

At my confused expression, he clarified, "What do you think needs to be done for this war to end? As a mobile suit pilot?"

Both of us were shocked, but while my reaction was to shut up and try to think my way out of the situation, Cagalli blurted, "Hey! How do you know that?"

Laughing, the man stood, noting, "Being too sincere could be a problem."

While he walked over to a telephone stand by the window, I grabbed Cagalli's hand and pulled us both over to the fireplace.

"There are no points given, or regulation time in a war," the man mused while I took a defensive crouch in front of my friend, "unlike sports. So how are winners and losers determined? At what point do we put an end to it?"

"'At what . . . point?'" I repeated.

"When every single enemy has been destroyed?" the man wondered, turning and leveling a hand gun at us.

Now the situation was really bad – if I left Cagalli to attack Waltfeld she would be exposed, and probably shot. The gunshot would alert the soldiers in the hall, who would come rushing in to find me fighting their commander. I could try edging us towards the door, but then again there were the soldiers with automatic weapons between us and the outside. Another option was the window, but Waltfeld would likely shoot at us – then there was a six meter drop to the ground, followed by more guards and a few mobile suits.

"You'd be wise not to try anything stupid," the man cautioned. "Even if you are a berserker, you won't be able to force your way out of here."

"Berserker?" I wondered, unfamiliar with the term.

"Every one of us here is the same as you," Waltfeld pointed out. "We're Coordinators."

Behind me, I felt Cagalli recoil slightly as she started to say, "Y-You're . . ."

Interrupting her, the ZAFT Commander explained his reasoning, "I saw you in battle on two occasions. Take your adjustments for pressure against the desert surface . . . and heat convection parameters. I'd say you're one of the elite among us Coordinators."

Gun still leveled at us, the man went on, "I'm not so laid back that I simply believed it when told the pilot is a Natural. In addition . . . the amazing way you got us out of that jam earlier."

His reasoning was good, but the next words out of his mouth made me reconsider my opinion of the guy. "I have no idea why you decided to fight against your own people," he said, "but as long as you're the pilot of that mobile suit . . . you and I are enemies."

"You're wrong," I said, not knowing where I found the strength. "I'm always being accused of fighting against 'my own people'. But, I'm not a citizen of the PLANTs; I have never been a citizen of the PLANTs. Genetic status might be your reason for fighting this war, but it's not mine: mine is to protect my friends."

To my surprise, the man mused, "Is there no option but for one of us to be destroyed?"

He raised the pistol to his shoulder, smiling slightly as he announced, "Well, the fact is that you saved my life today, and this is not a battlefield." Putting the gun back in the drawer he pressed a button on the telephone and a moment later Aisha opened up the sitting room door.

"You can go now," Waltfeld told us. "I'm glad that I had the chance to talk with you . . . although I'm sad that our reasons for fighting are counter to the others."

Putting my hand on Cagalli's shoulder I led her out of the room, but just when we reached the doorway, the Commander got in the last word by saying, "I'll see you on the battlefield."

End Episode 18

NOTES: I do not own Gundam SEED, nor am I making money from this fan fiction. Andrew Waltfeld is one of my favorite characters, but he does make some racist comments in this episode. We know that there are some Naturals, like Mu La Flaga, who have abilities similar to Coordinators due to the usual eugenics. So, I had Kira speak up after being accused of fighting against 'his own people.'


	19. On a Calm Day

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Nineteen: On a Calm Day

Date: February 20th, C.E. 71

Cagalli and I were taken by a rather civilian-looking car back to the café where the Blue Cosmos attack had happened. The officer who'd been set to watch our purchases had moved everything inside, and was happy to be done with the attack. When he was gone the tall man, Cagalli's usual bodyguard approached us.

"Are you two all right?" the man demanded.

"We're fine, Ledonir," Cagalli down played. "I just need to pick up some new clothes – I can't go back to the Desert Dawn looking like THIS!"

She was still wearing the mint-green dress that Andrew Waltfeld's assistant, Aisha, had picked out for her, complete with the jewelry. Cagalli pawned the jewelry for clothes and changed before we met up with the rest of the group – Ensign Badgiruel looked suspiciously between us, like she suspected that Cagalli and I had been up to something, while Petty Officer Jackie Tonomura just looked relieved.

"What happened? Where were you?" the Ensign demanded.

"Just . . . wait until we're out of the city," I recommended as we loaded up the trucks and headed back to the _Archangel. _Cagalli and I were placed in separate trucks, likely because Ledonir didn't want to let her out of his sight now that the business with Al-Jairi was done.

Once we were in the open desert Badgiruel started on me. "Alright, what happened?"

Having no defense, I explained, "Andrew Waltfeld spotted us, Cagalli and I, and came to talk to us."

"What?!"

PO Tonomura spoke up in my defense: "They're two young people with light skin tones, dressed like tourists. And even though Desert Dawn has done their best to shield Cagalli from scrutiny, he might know who she is and recognized her."

"He just came up to us at the café and started advising us on the best way to eat doner kebab. Then we were attacked by Blue Cosmos," I explained.

"Blue Cosmos!" the Ensign wailed. "Were they after you or Waltfeld?"

"Waltfeld, I think – we were just bystanders in the mess – but I had to fight a few off to protect Cagalli, and Waltfeld figured out that I was a Coordinator."

"He just figured it out, did he?"

I shrugged, not really sure how to explain why the man had been able to tell who I was. Maybe my reaction time? "I don't know how. Anyway, Cagalli was covered with sauce from our meal, and Waltfeld invited us back to the palace to get cleaned up. There he confronted me about being a Coordinator working with the Earth Alliance, threatened to kill us, and then let us go."

"Why would he do that? If he knew that you were an enemy combatant it would make more sense to detain you, or kill you out right."

Again, all I could do was shake my head in confusion. "I don't know his reasoning, ma'am. He did say that 'this is not a battlefield', so maybe he has something against killing people in cold blood."

"That makes sense," Tonomura remarked. At the accusatory look from Badgiruel he maintained, "The man spared the people of Tassel: destroyed their homes and decimated their supply cashes, but left the people unharmed."

"We'll have a more through debriefing aboard the _Archangel_," the Ensign announced, "And I want you to draft up a full report – assets present at the palace, layout of the rooms, and every detail you can remember about Waltfeld and his staff."

I sighed, knowing that I would have a long day ahead of me.

Hours later I exited the Captain's Office, where I'd been obliged to participate in a full debriefing where the trio of trained military officers – Lieutenant Commanders Ramius and La Flaga and Ensign Badgiruel – had questioned me at length about every particular of my report. It was there that I learned that Sai Argyle had attempted to pilot the Strike, and was in solitary confinement. With this shocking news I was dismissed, with orders to make sure that no damage was done to the OS settings.

Figuring I'd just get a bite to eat I was in the mess hall when Kuzzey Buskirk came in. "Oh, hey, Kira," the youngest of my friends called out.

A product of natural eugenics and nurturing, Kuzzey was a certified genius, as evidenced by the fact that he was attending the technical college on Heliopolis and selected by Professor Kato to work on the EVA Suit OS prototype. He had been working in the bridge as a Signal Analysis Officer since volunteering to serve aboard the _Archangel_.

"Have you heard about Sai?" he asked me.

"Yea, I have." There was an awkward moment of silence before I asked, "Do you know how he's doing?"

Shaking his head, Kuzzey revealed, "I'm supposed to take him a meal – bread and water – before going off duty."

"I'll come with you," I announced.

"Well, I'm supposed to have an officer with me, and you're an Ensign, so I guess that's okay."

We headed down a few corridors to a section of the ship I wasn't familiar with, to a solitary door. "Kira. It would be better if he didn't see you," Kuzzey warned me, finally revealing the reason he was acting reluctant. "When I open the door, stand beside it where he can't see you."

He went on, "Of all people, you don't want Sai going nuts again, do you?"

No, of course not. Sai was my friend, despite what was going on between us and Flay, and the last thing I wanted was for him to get into any more trouble. So I stood beside the door as Kuzzey ran a security card through the reader and tapped in the door code.

"Sai? How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Sai answered, sounding miserable.

"One week might seem like eternity," Kuzzey tried to comfort our mutual friend, "But since it's a rule, there's little we can do. Hang in there."

Peeking around the corner I could see that the room was not built for human habitation. It looked to be some sort of storage closet, or perhaps a staging area for emergency repair crews. The only concessions to comfort that had been provided were a single pillow and blanket. I wished that there was something I could say or do to make Sai's situation better – unfortunately, he wouldn't be allowed near the Strike after what he'd done.

Sai sounded like he was trying to reassure Kuzzey as he answered, "Yea. I know. I'll be all right."

I pulled my head back, so that Sai wouldn't see me when he looked up at Kuzzey, and noticed Flay peeking around a corner down the corridor. She ducked back when she realized that I'd spotted her, but I was sure that she had come down here for the same reason I had – to make sure that Sai was all right. The action could have been altruistic, like my own, but I couldn't help but feel that Flay still had feelings for Sai, and I feared that her interest in me was more hero worship than actual love. Maybe she was drawn to the fighter, but would be happier with the thinker . . . in the long run . . . and then there was the fact that she had a lot more in common with Sai Argyle than with me.

That was certainly something to think about as we took the tray of Sai's previous meal and returned it to the mess.

"I'm going down to the hanger," Kuzzey announced. "They've set up a Skygrasper simulator down there. Want to come?"

"No, I've go to check over the Strike's OS and then get some sleep. Some other time?"

"Okay, see you later, Kira."

"Bye, Kuzzey."

While Kuzzey and Miriallia Haw, another of our friends, took turns on the simulator I ran simulations of my own on the Strike's operating system only to discover what I expected . . . nothing. Sai hadn't even tried to penetrate the security on the upgraded OS, which wouldn't have worked for him anyway. The original OS had been designed for heavy exoskeletons, the kind used in colony development, not 17 meter tall combat machines. Given that he'd no training in a mobile suit it was impressive that he'd managed to get so far in the Strike.

Once I was done checking over the mobile suit I headed back to my quarters and flopped down on my bed still fully clothed, wondering if I should take a turn at the simulator or go and talk with Sai.

A voice come over the door comm. "Kira?" And then the door opened to reveal Flay silhouetted by the hall lights, and I was struck again by just how beautiful the girl was.

"What's this?" she asked. "What are you doing in the dark?"

She turned on the lights and I moved to sit on the edge of the bed while my thoughts turned to when I'd spotted her in the halls outside Sai's cell, and I couldn't keep myself from asking, "What was it, earlier?"

She looked confused, so I clarified, "You were there, where Sai is, weren't you?"

I had to ask, because I still knew so little about Flay Allster as a person.

Flay sat down beside me and leaned over, resting her head on my shoulder, which at other times would have made me sit up and take notice, but I stayed hunched over while considering our relationship.

"Sai's such a fool," Flay sighed. She was looking away from me as she continued, "There's no way he can compete against you." After a moment's pause she added, "He's such a fool."

Her last comment was an accusation, but there was almost a wistful quality to her voice; like she admired Sai's foolishness.

"F-Flay," I said, meaning to ask her feelings, but chickened out and looked back down at my feet.

"Kira? Kira. What's wrong?"

I moved away from her, and Flay leaned towards me, her voice hesitant. "Kira . . ." She moved in closer, adding in a more playful voice, "It's all right, Kira. I'm here for you . . ."

Then she pressed herself against me, kissing me on the lips as I objected, "Fla . . ." A part of me didn't care, wanted to submit as she forced me onto my back and slipped her legs between my own, but the more responsible part of me objected more loudly.

"Stop it, already!" I told her, pushing her off me and climbing to my feet.

"Kira?" she gasped, sounding genuinely affected by my rejection.

Without looking at her I could only say, "Sorry," before fleeing my own quarters.

Flay called after me, "Kira!" but I was already out the door and let it close between us before I broke into a run down the corridor.

Stopping a few junctions down the hall, I stepped into a shadowy cross corridor and slumped against the wall, sliding down until I was in a fetal position. Tears came to my eyes as I tried to make sense of my feelings – my feelings for Flay, my feelings for Sai, my feelings about this whole mess that I'd found myself in. A part of me knew that Flay's feelings for me weren't true; that they were probably some form of lust. But another part of me held out hope that her feelings would mature, would become real, and that she'd open up to me as a person.

Finally getting control of myself I headed down to the hanger to find it empty – it was late, and the maintenance crew had turned in for the night. The Strike stood in a new maintenance cradle, a flat grey color with the Phase Shift Armor turned off, staring straight ahead, with the cockpit open as if it were just waiting for the call to action. It was a war machine, and I used it to fight the battles of others in a desperate attempt to protect those I cared about.

This was what Flay liked about me, that I was a mobile suit pilot – the first mobile suit pilot to wear an Earth Federation uniform. Resolving myself, I decided that it didn't matter what Flay felt about me now, because I loved her, and with time and persistence I was sure that she could come to love me, too.

End Episode 19

NOTES: I apologize if my writing style has changed – I took a sabbatical from writing in order to focus on my studies. There's not much action in this episode as the first half focuses on the rather forced relationship between Athrun and Lacus, and the failing relationship of Kira and Flay. As I get older I sometimes wonder at all the angst of these teen-drama pieces, and have more trouble getting into the heads of the characters. So, if any of you have advice for me PLEASE let me know!


	20. Beyond the Clouds of Sand

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction

Episode Twenty: Beyond the Clouds of Sand

Date: February 28th, C.E. 71

We all knew that the time had come to leave the desert: the supplies purchased from the black-marketer, Al-Jairi, had been stowed, the missile magazines loaded, and nothing further could be gained by delay. As the senior officers of the _Archangel_ and Desert Dawn determined a plan of attack I helped remove the camouflage netting and a few other maintenance duties as needed. Everyone seemed to be on edge, because we all knew that in order to leave the desert we would have to fight the ZAFT forces.

The officers returned, our duties explained, and the ship left the canyons for the open desert.

Leaving the briefing, Lieutenant Commander La Flaga had clapped me on the shoulder and said, "Let's get something to eat."

Which was how I found myself in the dining hall staring down at a plate full of food with very little appetite. I'd had very little time to talk with Flay, and none to talk with Sai as he was still in solitary confinement. Sighing, I picked at the food on my tray.

"What's taking you so long? Hurry up and eat," Mu demanded, having eaten everything on his tray already. "Here, this too," he added a doner kabab to my tray, the flatbread folded over thin slices of meat and vegetables.

"Nothing beats the food we get locally," he crowed while chomping down on his.

"Commander," I ventured, "haven't you had enough to eat?"

The man dismissed my concerns, confidently reasoning, "We're on our way to battle. Unless we eat, where will we get our strength?" He grabbed a bottle from the table and offered it, adding, "Here, it's great with yogurt sauce."

I could only stare as I remembered Andrew Waltfeld, the Desert Tiger, commander of the ZAFT forces in this region, disguised as a tourist and offering me a bottle of yogurt sauce to eat with the doner kababs at the café in Banadiya.

Commander la Flaga's face became concerned as I only stared, and I hastily told him, "No. It's just that the Tiger said the same thing. That it's great with yogurt sauce."

Grudgingly, Mu admitted, "The man has taste," before resolutely taking another bite of the kabab.

The man went on, "But it's better not to know too much about the enemy. Try to forget."

"Eh?"

"Knowing about a man your about to fight with for your life," he explained sagely, with the hard look of personal knowledge in his blue eyes, ". . . just makes the battle more difficult."

That made me think about Athrun Zala, my one-time best friend who was now a member of the ZAFT special forces. Fortunately, my musing was cut short by the feeling of a reverberation running through the deck.

We had been joined by a few crew members who'd come in to enjoy the local food, who started questioning each other.

"What was that?" "An explosion?" "Are we under attack?" "Has the battle started?"

Mu and I nodded to each other, then left our trays and ran to the pilot's ready room. Not for the first time I wondered at the practice that had us running all the way to the hanger deck to put on our flight suits when our quarters were much closer; or the practice of wearing dress uniforms when we knew that combat operations were suspected. It seemed a dreadful waste of time as we pulled off our jackets and slid into the flight suits.

"Bridge, la Flaga," Mu said after pushing the button on the intercom.

Captain Ramius' voice came back, _"ZAFT forces have destroyed the minefield we were trying to lure them into. Stand by and prepare to launch."_

"Copy that," the man said before switching the channel. "Hanger, la Flaga: I want you to load the launcher and sword strikers on the skygraspers."

_"You want what?"_ Chief Murdock's responded. _"You want us to load both skygraspers?"_

"That's right! Launcher on the first machine, and sword on the second machine!" the lieutenant commander ordered. I didn't hear the response, but Mu countered, "Why? Because it's quicker to change plans than re-equip one!"

He cut the channel and turned to me, confiding, "I hate to say this . . . but frankly, I can't rely on the battle power of the resistance; I think we'll need the flexibility of the second machine."

"Right," I agreed, not sure of my own feelings on the subject. The aile striker was the most versatile of the three, reaching a good balance of both ranged and melee weaponry, but I had gotten used to having the extra weaponry on hand. He wasn't wrong about the resistance, either – their weaponry could take out combat helicopters, but had proved useless against mobile suits like the ones that ZAFT regularly fielded.

Sagely, he recommended, "You give it your best shot, too." Cocking a grin he added, "Well, seeing how you fight lately, I wouldn't worry too much."

I'm sure that he meant it reassuringly, but the comment reminded me of something else that the Desert Fox had told me. "U-Uh . . ." I started, and when Mu turned back I asked, "What is a berserker? Do you know?"

The term was vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place where I'd heard the word or what it meant.

Mu turned around more fully and asked, "A berserker? I believe it's from a myth about crazed warriors."

"Crazed . . . warriors?"

"Yes. They were normally gentle and well behaved, but in battle . . ." he told me levelly, "they got excited, and became stronger, as if becoming different people."

That shocked me, and I remembered the clarity of thought that came to me sometimes in battle; as if all the rest of the galaxy went away, and the only thing that was real was the battle surrounding me. Was it true then? Was I some kind of berserker, who became someone different when stressed? I didn't want to believe that somewhere inside of me was some other being waiting to get out.

For a moment I remembered the two flames, like eyes, peering at me out of a face made of oily black smoke.

"What is this, all of a sudden?" Mu asked, now facing me fully.

"No, it's nothing important. I'm sorry," I dissented, apologizing with a little bow.

Miriallia's voice came over the intercom, _"Commander La Flaga, Ensign Yamato. Please board your machines."_

"Oops," Mu cursed – we were supposed to be standing by in our machines already.

I walked out of the ready room and headed to the Strike, which was waiting in the maintenance cradle. Moving a little faster, I climbed into the cockpit and began the startup checklist.

"You going to be alright with just the Aile Striker," Chief Murdock, the head of the ship's maintainers, inquired.

"I'll be fine," I told the man, "but it would be nice to have spare sets of each striker pack."

Murdock laughed at that, agreeing, "Yea it would. You take care of yourself out there, kid, alright?"

"Yes, sir," I told the man, throwing him a mocking salute as the cockpit hatch shut.

Over the comm. Lieutenant Badgiruel ordered, _"Strike! Skygrasper! Launch!"_

The lieutenant commander was the first to launch: I could hear Miriallia over the PA going through the checklist. _"La Flaga, Skygrasper One, proceed to launch position!" "Route clear!" "La Flaga, go ahead!"_ And then it was my turn.

_Activating APU! Connecting to catapult!"_ Miriallia called out as a technician moved the maintenance cradle into launch position, and then the GAT-X105 Strike was dropped the few feet into the chalks that would propel it down the launch lane. _"Attach Aile Striker Pack,_" she added as the cradle was withdrawn, blast doors closed, and the thruster pack was lowered from its overhead container to the attachment points on the back of the mobile suit, the attached beam sabers becoming a combat option. _"Aile Striker, stand by!"_

Over the comm. Chief Murdock confirmed, _"Are you sure you'll be okay with the Aile?"_

"Against BuCUEs, mobility is more important than firepower," I answered, which was perfectly true. Also true was the fact that we would need flexibility and a few surprises if we were going to win against The Desert Tiger.

_"Gotcha!"_ the maintainer remarked.

_"Systems all green!"_ Miriallia announced, and now the 57mm high-energy beam rifle and anti-beam shield were emerging from their storage compartments. _"Strike, go ahead!"_

"Kira Yamato, taking off!" I announced, and was pulled down the launch tunnel via electromagnetic mass-drivers, thrown directly into combat.

ZAFT helicopters, one of which was firing directly at me, or perhaps at the skygrasper, which went flashing past from lower left to upper right. I brought up the shield to black the incoming fire, then used the Igelstellung 75mm CIWS to shoot down the attack craft, activating the Phase Shift armor just before touching down on the desert surface as three more helicopters made attack runs with machine guns and rockets. Behind me the _Archangel_ was employing its anti-air weaponry on the enemy machines as well, but its defenses weren't perfect, and it took a few hits; not enough to penetrate its phase shift armor, though.

Of more concern were the two land battleships, the Lesseps, which I recognized from Banadiya, and another that was identified as a "land cruiser"; which was smaller in size but not less formidable in appearance. The two ships trained their weapons on the _Archangel_ and began to lay down a blistering barrage, which put the Earth Alliance battleship on the defensive, creating openings for the attack helicopters to close in. Commander La Flaga responded by keeping close to the ship, shooting down the machines like they were wasps and he a hawk.

_Archangel_ returned fire with the Valiant MK VIII 110cm linear cannons on the port and starboard sides: the barrels recoiling along their tracks with each shot fired.

While that would have been impressive to watch, I finally spotted the targets I was supposed to keep occupied. The _Archangel_ couldn't depress its more powerful weaponry far enough to take on enemies attacking from below, only having a few 75mm CIWS for defense at that angle, so it was important that I keep the ZAFT mobile suits from getting beneath the ship. "How many BuCUEs are there?" I wondered, counting the hound-like mobile suits in my head. "Four? Five of them!"

The BuCUE in the lead fired, and I side slipped while rushing to meet them – the further I could keep them from the ship the better! I was worried that Andrew Waltfeld might be piloting one of the mobile suits, but none of them demonstrated tactical brilliance that I would have expected of the man. Rather, three formed into the delta attack pattern I'd faced before while the other two went after the Desert Dawn armored trucks. Slipping free of the trio I went after a mobile suit that was threatening to roll over one truck where six freedom fighters were firing rocket propelled grenades, which were having minimal effect on the massive machine.

Leaping atop the ZAFT machine I used the energy rifle to shoot into the container of missile launchers the mobile suit was carrying, setting off the explosives within, and leapt away before the thing exploded beneath me. Shrapnel bounced off the PS armor, using some of my available energy, but ignoring that (there was nothing to be done about it) I scanned for my next target, wondering aloud, "Which one next?"

The Desert Dawn freedom fighters and Commander La Flaga in the Skygrasper/Launcher had put paid to the air game, shooting down most of the helicopters; what remained went to hide behind dunes, popping up only long enough to pull off a shot before dropping back down. Freed from defensive duties the commander turned his attention to the land battleship and cruiser, using the Agni 320mm hyper impulse beam cannon to destroy a mobile suit that had been perched on the upper hull, adding its cannons to the cruiser's already impressive display of weaponry.

One of the BuCUEs attempted to pounce, and drawing a beam saber from the thruster pack I put on a burst of speed, adding my momentum to the enemy machines and managing to cleave it in two down the middle. Both halves exploded above me as I landed, but saw that I'd come down right in the path of another ZAFT machine, which was barreling towards me. In response, I threw the beam saber, which still had enough of a residual charge to pierce the long-muzzeled head, right in the eye, and becoming lodged there. With the hand freed, I brought the beam rifle up and targeted the beam saber I destroyed primary sensor cluster, effectively taking the machine out of combat.

It had managed to get four missiles off, which I ducked, and then I was forced to leap away as another mobile suit, with one with a pair of beam cannons, started an attack run. This I dodged by going right up the middle, a tactic the ZAFT pilot didn't expect, and I kicked off the machine's head before turning in quickly and shooting it in the back. Landing heavily I felt the explosion as the enemy machine detonated, its ruined head landing a hundred meters ahead and to my left.

That was four BuCUEs down, just one remaining, but I remembered Andrew Waltfeld asking, _"So how are winners and losers determined?" _It had been when he'd brought me and Cagalli to his mansion, presumably to let Cagalli clean up after the Blue Cosmos attack at the Café. He'd pulled a gun out of an end table and demanded, _"At what point do we put an end to it? When every single enemy has been destroyed?"_

I cursed, and closing my eyes I shook my head as if trying to make the memory break free.

An alarm brought my attention back to my immediate situation: a laser designator was targeting me, but the real attack was being focused on the ship. "The _Archangel_!" I shouted in impudent warning.

Mu had been drawn off, trying to take out the weapons of the battleship and cruiser so that the _Archangel_ wouldn't be so badly outgunned, but while he'd been away another land cruiser had skirted the field of battle and was now attacking the Earth Alliance ship from behind. Unfortunately, my plan to take up position on the rear landing platform was put paid to as I dodged the blast from another ZAFT mobile suit, forcing me to leap away.

When the smoke and sand cleared I saw that it was similar to a BuCUE, with four legs featuring treads on the shins and short wings extending from the back, rather like the spoilers of a racecar. The armor plates were colored a deep orange, and it moved with a speed and agility that were beyond what I'd come to expect from such machines. "It's not a BuCUE!" I reasoned, and then hit on the idea, "The commander's machine? Then he's in it?"

La Flaga had told me that there were two objectives to this action: 1) allow the _Archangel_ time to get around the refinery, at which point the ZAFT forces would most likely withdraw, and 2) take down Andrew Waltfeld. The second part was mostly to secure the cooperation of Desert Dawn, who thought that killing the Desert Tiger would bring an end to ZAFT occupation in this area. No matter the reasoning, though, I fought myself in battle against a superior foe, in a machine with unknown capabilities, and checking my sensor board I saw that most of my allies were either too far away or otherwise engaged.

After trading a few shouts that went wide due to the other machines startling maneuverability in this terrain, I was forced to use my shield to block a couple shots; missing the opportunity to return fire. The back-mounted double beam cannons could also rotate about 100 degrees, but the high speed created an opening I leapt into the air and using both hands to aim the beam rifle as the machine turned and tried to pounce. Maneuvering jets on the ZAFT mobile suit allowed it to dodge my attack, and I only managed to get the shield up in time to block the beam saber it carried in its muzzle of a head. Unfortunately, that left me open, and the enemy machine batted me with a foreleg, running its tread against the side of the Strike's head; messing with my sensors and throwing me off balance.

Kicking the thrusters up allowed me to keep from slamming into the desert floor, but my energy reserves were at 10%; the alert sounding stridently throughout the cockpit. "The power!" I gasped.

There was nothing to be done – LTC La Flaga was engaging the land cruiser that had come up from behind, and even if we could somehow pull off an equipment change he would have to leave the _Archangel_'s flank unprotected to do so. Instead I exchanged fire with the ZAFT mobile suit, which I was by now convinced was being piloted by Waltfeld – the pilot was a veteran, and performing maneuvers favored by the Desert Tiger. Using the shield I parried the blasts from the energy cannons while trying to come up with some other tactic, only vaguely aware that a second skygrasper was engaging the land carrier now.

Using all the skills I'd developed thus far, I aimed carefully and managed to pierce the right foreleg of Waltfeld's machine, which was ejected before the resulting explosion could damage the rest of the machine. For a moment I thought the loss of a limb would hamper its maneuverability, but the pilot proved he could compensate: a cannon blast hitting my energy rifle, forcing me to abandon it. Grasping the second of my beam sabers I was able to get in a return slash as the ZAFT unit leapt over me, severing the left wing and cannon.

We faced off for a moment, and I once again became aware of the alarm sounding: I was now at 2.5% power. The second skygrasper had been shot down, but the _Archangel_ was moving past the refinery: according to the officers the battle would be coming to a close soon.

The moment passed, and the orange mobile suit sped towards me.

"Mr. Waltfeld!" I cried out, switching to external speakers. "Let's stop this, please!" I demanded in vain. "The outcome is determined! Please surrender!"

He performed a rather amazing spinning leap that I was forced to dodge, but his beam saber clipped one of the stabilizer wings on the thruster pack. Landing, he made as quick a turn as he could with one thruster and three legs, calling back, _"I thought I told you! There are no clear rules to end a war!"_

"Mr. Waltfeld!" I screamed, and then gasped as primary power hit critical. The Phase Shift armor would automatically shut down, denying power to the beam saber. I had just enough power in the mobile suit and thrusters for basic maneuverability, intended for use in fleeing the battlefield or returning to the hanger for a recharge and resupply, but I couldn't quit the field of battle yet. Waltfeld would be sure to hound me if I attempted a retreat, doing serious damage to the Strike and perhaps to the _Archangel_ as well.

He came around again, announcing, _"There's no choice but to fight! As long as we're enemies! Until one of us is destroyed!"_

Hearing the determination in his projected voice, and seeing no other way out of the situation, I felt that sense of clarity bursting inside my mind. Abandoning the thruster pack and shield, I drew an armored schnider from the hip and ran forward, using the basic thrusters to aid in the charge. Waltfeld was trying to perform another leap attack, but with only three legs and an off-center thruster he was off balance and ended up slamming his machine's head against my chest: his beam saber didn't even touch me. Meanwhile, I drove the armor piercing knife as deeply as I could between the shoulders of his machines.

We were both knocked clear, but while I was mostly unscathed his machine detonated, filling the air with smoke, sand, and shrapnel: there was no way anyone could have survived an explosion like that.

The moment of clarity passed, and I was left to feel a profound sense of loss.

"I . . . I . . .," the words almost came out as a hickcough as tears ran down my face, but I finally managed to say, "I never wanted to kill him!"

I didn't want to kill anyone – I wasn't a fighter; I was an engineer, a programmer, a kid who was being caught up in situations that were over my head. Why did they have to come after me and my friends? Why couldn't the coordinators of ZAFT just let us go about our business and retreat to Earth Alliance space? Why did I have to fight people like Andrew Waltfeld and Athrun Zala, who I sensed could be good people if they could just get past their foolish prejudice?

Why?

Why?

Why?

End Episode 20

NOTES: Ah, the great question "Why", which is often the first question asked and the hardest to answer. Quite frankly I was worried that I couldn't keep up with the action of this episode, so please let me know what you think. At this point I'm not sure about the date – Sai was supposed to be confined for a week, and it would have taken some time to deliver and stow the supplies, but it is possible that he was released for the pending battle.


	21. The Seas Dyed Red

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode Twenty-One: The Sea Dyed Red  
Date: February 28th, C.E. 71

We had passed the refinery, and as the freedom fighters had expected the trio of ZAFT carriers had withdrawn, taking with them one BuCUE which had managed to limp away from the battle along with the GAT-X102 Duel and -X103 Buster, which had been spotted atop the Lesseps but had not engaged in the battle directly. I heard several of the Desert Dawn claiming to have been circling the grounded Duel, firing RPGs at the mobile suit while the machine ineffectively attempted to return fire. From what I heard it sounded as if the Duel's pilot were struggling to compensate for the loose sand and heat convection.

For a time it seemed that the celebratory atmosphere was going to turn into a full-scale party, what with the alcohol flowing freely between the North African freedom fighters and Earth Alliance crew members, but then the old chief from Tassil called everyone to a memorial for the fallen. The two groups separated, with the locals moving forward to form a semicircle around a mortar, the old man slowly reading through a list of the dead while every half-dozen names were commiserated with a firing of the mortar.

"Azib Shamsedin. Ahmed el Hosn. Al Guivari. Stein Offer. Tandom Ronna. Stephane Lindberger. Loisy Fahd," the old man chanted.

The crew of the _Archangel_ stood back, in a second group, lamenting those whom they knew or just talking quietly. I heard Mu La Flaga ask, "Continue to fight, huh?" but was too far back to hear any response over the sound of the mortar and next set of names.

"Ovan Talkof. Khalka Pinlad. Usal Hallah."

I stood even further back, next to Flay, who sat on a crate in front of a small fire. She'd had the least contact of anyone with the locals, having been shut up in the ship most of the time: first inventorying their remaining supplies so that the officers could make of list of what was needed, and then helping to stow the supplies before the battle. Knowing none of the people being mourned she didn't feel like intruding on the grief of the others, and wanting to be supportive I stood next to her.

We parted company with the Desert Dawn the next morning, but to my surprise Cagalli and Ledonir were given rooms onboard. I saw them when Flay and I came to breakfast the next morning, picking over their food a little reluctantly: it was rather bland compared to the local cuisine that they had enjoyed with the freedom fighters. Our friends – Miriallia, Tolle, Kuzzey and Sai – were seated at a different table, reminding me that I hadn't talked with Sai since he'd tried to pilot the Strike. He wouldn't meet my eyes now, and Flay wanted to sit at an empty table.

Once breakfast was done our friends headed to the bridge to start their shifts, Flay went to report to the Quartermaster, and I went down to the hanger deck to help with the sonar system.

The _Archangel_ had been designed for space combat, with subsystems that allowed it to perform atmospheric entry and hover over the ground. It had never been intended to travel by water, except perhaps to move from dry dock to a mass driver in order to be returned to space. Faced with an extended journey over water a thought had been taken to safety; so among the supplies delivered was a pair of sonar systems that had been installed in compartments beneath the Lohengrin positron cannons, which were themselves beneath the hangers.

A compartment with an awning hatch had been filled with the sonar controls, which normally would have been on the bridge. Since there was no room on the bridge for an additional station the controls were designed to transmit their information to the bridge stations. Chief Petty Officer Murdoch was supposedly in charge, with Petty Officer Second Class' Jackie Tonomura and Dalida Chandra II from the bridge crew assisting; but Lieutenant La Flaga had been called in over a dispute and I'd been brought in to iron out the issue.

Seated on a bucket and typing away on a laptop I worked to create a translation program as Chief Murdoch gave a report over his headset.

"We're working on it right now," the man explained. "The kid's making final adjustments. Please wait a little longer."

I didn't have a headset, but out of the corner of my eyes I saw PO2 Tonomura and Chandra share a smile and CPO Murdoch pale slightly. He told the group, "She says to hurry."

"That's easy for her to say, but this thing," I complained, "is made by ZAFT, so it's not going to connect easily. I don't suppose that she would be willing to let Sai and Kuzzey come down to help?"

"Not until the sonar is working," Mu answered. "I asked for them first; and she told me that until the sonar is working they need all hands on the bridge. We should 'count ourselves lucky' to have Jackie and Dalida." He nodded to the pair performing adjustments on the terminals.

It took another couple of hours before the work was complete, and I headed to the aft landing deck to take a break; the Captain had authorized the crew to take short breaks outside. After spending most of the morning in the bowels of the hanger the bright sunlight dazzled me for a moment, and I had to shield my eyes while they adjusted. There was an illusion of air currents as we passed over the sea, and the movement of the moist air was refreshing on the skin; so I left my jacket inside and took a seat in the middle of the space.

A cloud passed overhead, and for a few minutes I was able to clear my mind and just enjoy the sparkling waves. The passing of the cloud seemed to signal the end of my mental filter, and I began to remember again the past few days.

The café in Banadiya, where I'd first met Andrew Waltfeld in disguise: he admonishing, _"Hey! Wait! Don't force your bad habits on this guy!"_

Later, when he'd brought us to the palace he was using as a headquarters, discussing a miniature copy of a Martian fossil: _"I have no idea why they call this thing a whale stone. Does it look like a whale to you?"_

When he asked me, _"So how are winners and losers determined? At what point do we put an end to it?"_ Aiming a pistol at us he demanded, _"When every single enemy has been destroyed?"_

I remembered the whole of that last battle with ZAFT forces, as Waltfeld maintained, _"I'm not done, youngster!" _and_ "There's no choice but to fight! As long as we're enemies! Until one of us is destroyed!"_

Earlier, when I asked LTC La Flaga about 'berserkers' he'd told me, _"Yes. Berserkers were normally gentle and well behaved . . . but in battle they got excited . . . and became stronger, as if becoming a different person."_

Was I a berserker? During the battle, at that last moment when, out of power and facing defeat, I'd felt again that sense of clarity: as if I'd known exactly what I had to do to win. At that moment I'd been sure that it was him or me; only one of us would be able to walk away from that confrontation.

_"But still . . . however,"_ I tried to reason with myself, _"if I don't fight who will be able to protect my friends? Without the Strike ZAFT would have destroyed the _Archangel _at Heliopolis, or anywhere else along our journey . . ."_

Even with the Strike I couldn't help everyone: the memory of the destruction of the 8th Advanced Fleet, the death of Vice Foreign Minister George Allster coming back to me. I remembered Flay's words as she grieved her father's death: _"Because you're a Coordinator too, you're not fighting seriously, are you?"_

Flay still hadn't admitted her partial responsibility in that: if she hadn't distracted the bridge crew they might not have been out flanked by the ZAFT ships. I had managed to save the refugee shuttle, when the pilot of the X102 Duel had targeted it.

Raising my head I confirmed to myself that I was doing the best I could. It had been little more than a month since we'd all been swept up in the war against the Earth Alliance and the PLANTS, and while everyone was surprised by how fast I'd learned to handle myself in combat I was sure that there was still a lot more to learn. For a moment I tried to convince myself that I could continue to pilot the Strike, that defending my friends was reason enough, Andrew Waltfeld's death – the death of someone I had known personally – at my hands, no less, still weighed on me.

Behind me the hatch opened, and a rather husky woman's voice called out, "Well, hi! You're out on the deck, too!"

It was Cagalli, coming out to enjoy the sea air, most likely. Looking over my shoulder I saw that she was wearing her customary red tee shirt and light grey cargo pants, her blonde hair in need of a trim. Suddenly I was sure that I wanted to be alone, so getting up I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. To my shame my eyes were wet at the corners, a fact that the young woman picked up on immediately.

"Have you been crying?"

I turned away, but she caught my hand, calling, "Wait!"

Turning back, I gave her a fierce look that made her let go, but when I turned to leave she ran around in front of me and threw her arms around my waist.

"H-Hey, wh-what," I objected.

Patting me on the back the young woman soothed, "It's all right. Everything's fine. Everything will be just fine." Going on, she added, "Don't worry. Don't worry."

It had been a long time since anyone had hugged me in a platonic way – Flay was usually ardent in her desires, and not much into cuddling unless it was post-coitus.

Cagalli took a step back and took my hands in hers. "Did that help you calm down?"

"Uh," and "Um," were all I managed to get out, but then Cagalli realized what she was doing, and snatching her hands back she stammered, "D-Don't get me wrong! I couldn't ignore a child who's been crying, now could I?"

She was almost fierce about her reasoning, adding, "That's all that was! Okay?"

The young woman went stalking off, but when she reached the doorway back into the ship she thought better of going back inside; instead she slumped against the wall. I didn't want to go back inside, either, so I went to the rail that surrounded the deck and stared out over the Red Sea off the port side of the ship.

"You know, you're a real puzzle sometimes," Cagalli said conversationally.

When I looked her way she glared, and accused, "The other day, you told me off and slapped me."

I remembered the incident: Cagalli had gone off with a group of Desert Dawn, trying to catch the ZAFT forces that had attacked the town of Tassil, hoping to find the occupying forces low on weapons after laying waste to the town. They would have been wiped out if I hadn't caught up in the Strike, and in the aftermath I'd slapped her and demanded, _"What the hell can you protect with just your feelings?"_

"Oh, sorry," I told her.

"Well, not that I care anymore," she sighed, sounding rather like she'd taken my words to heart. Rather than try to fight with the limited weapons of the freedom fighters during that last battle Cagalli had taken to piloting the second skygrasper support fighter.

In an attempt to change the subject she asked, "Why in the world are you a Coordinator in the first place?"

My face fell, and Cagalli seemed to realize that her question was wrong. "Oh, that didn't come out right. Why are you siding with the Earth Forces if you're a Coordinator?"

I went to join her by the wall, commenting, "Do you find that strange? I get that a lot."

My memory raced back to the three times I'd been asked that question; the first being when my one-time friend, Athrun Zala – who was now with ZAFT – demanded, _"What are you doing with the Earth Forces? Why are you siding with the Naturals?"_

The second had been Commander Gerard Garcia of the Eurasian Federation base Artemis, when he maintained, _"But you're a traitor to the Coordinators."_

And the most recent had been in Cagalli's company, when Andrew Waltfeld had wondered, _"I have no idea why you've decided to fight against your own people,"_ while holding us at gunpoint.

Sliding down the wall to sit next to her I considered their words while the young woman figured, "Well, whether it's strange or not is not the point. But this war got started because the Coordinators and Naturals are at odds!" She ended by asking, "Doesn't that have any effect on you?"

"What about you?" I countered.

"My feelings for someone don't change just because they're a Coordinator," she answered, a little hotly. Of course, the Orb Union was one of the few nations where genetic heritage wasn't held against you; so to be asked such a question would be considered offensive.

"Same here," was my reply.

Cagalli stressed, "But I must fight this war because we're under attack."

"Same here," I repeated. She was glaring at me now, perhaps thinking I was making fun of her. With a smile I added, "The Coordinators are no different from anyone else."

"But you guys can do so much more than we can. From birth."

"Only if we practice, study, or train properly," I maintained. "We're not born with special abilities, just because we're Coordinators."

She allowed that: "I guess you're right."

"It's true that we don't catch deadly diseases," I allowed, "and we're born after our genes are operated on . . . to alter our potential abilities and physical features. But I understood those to be the Natural's," I cringed at the use of the word and corrected myself, "or everyone's dream. That's why we exist."

Relenting, she admitted, "Yea. You're right about that."

Turning the conversation around I asked, "So, why?"

Before the conversation could go any further Flay stepped onto deck. She'd taken her jacket off as well, and rolled her pink under-shirt up under her breasts; revealing her toned midriff between the shirt and miniskirt, with an inch of thigh showing between the bottom of the skirt and the top of her mint-green stockings. "Kira! Here you are!" she called out.

"Flay," I replied, not sure why she was showing off. The only time I'd seen her wearing less was when she wanted to make out in my quarters.

"Phew. It is hot," she exclaimed, striking a pose in the sunlight before leaning down to look at me with those beautiful blue-grey eyes, her breasts swaying beneath her shirt. "I looked all over for you," Flay announced.

Putting her hands on mine she playfully accused, "Come on. If you were coming out here on the deck, why didn't you invite me to join you?"

The girl pulled me to my feet before pressing against my side, and I managed, "Yeah. S-Sorry."

I looked to Cagalli, wondering what she thought of this behavior, and received a flat look. Maybe later I could get the blonde's opinion of the way Flay had been acting lately, but maybe Miriallia would be a better judge as she knew Flay better.

"This feels so great," Flay gushed, but then seemed to change her mind, adding, "But I don't want too much sun. Let's return to your room afterwards."

Apparently Cagalli felt embarrassed by the way Flay was acting – the redhead was practically flaunting our relationship – and the blonde got up, calling out, "Bye! I wouldn't wanna get in your way!"

"Bye," I called after her while Flay pressed herself against my back.

When Cagalli was gone I accused, "That was a little rude, Flay."

"What?" she demurred, "was I being rude?"

"Cagalli and I were talking; you're welcome to join us, but to just butt in like that," I tried to explain.

Before I could go any further the alarm sounded, and PO Chandra's voice came over the PA, announcing, _"All hands, level two battle stations! Repeat! All hands, level two battle stations!"_

"Get to your station," I told Flay, pulling her inside the ship before grabbing my jacket and racing down the hall.

I reached the ready room to find Mu had already put on his purple flight suit and while I struggled into my own he hit the comm. to request orders. _"Commander La Flaga, you'll take off in the skygrasper and provide anti-mobile suit support and artillery spotter. Ensign Yamato; as the Strike has no flight capabilities you'll remain on deck to provide support."_

"Understood, Lieutenant," we both responded. Chief Murdoch's techs were working on the Aile Striker pack, lengthening the stabilizer fins to allow for atmospheric flight; but the modification wasn't complete and had to be tested. Combat was a bad time to test something anyway.

"I've already had the Launcher Striker equipped to the Skygrasper," the older man lamented.

"Go ahead and take off: I can be more accurate at range with the beam rifle, and it draws less power," I told him.

He nodded and headed to the hanger. By the time I arrived he was already hurtling down the port launch. Climbing into the cockpit I connected with the Combat Information Center and requested, "Miriallia; just give me the beam rifle and shield from the Aile Striker."

_"Copy that,"_ Miriallia responded.

Instead of being rolled over to the chalks I was released there on the hanger floor and walked out with the umbilical still connecting me to the ship's power. Half way out, however, the ship tipped back at a crazy angle; leveling out again before dropping back down to the water. The launch hatch opened, and taking the rifle I went to rest of the way, stopping at the lip of the opening so I'd have some place to hold on if we had to pull another crazy maneuver.

Something breached the surface of the water, a wide round nose that fired an energy shot before leveling out with just a couple of dorsal fins sticking out of the water. I fired the energy rifle too late, the shots hitting the water as the mobile suit dived, sending up a couple gushes of superheated water but doing no damage to the machine I'd been aiming for.

"I won't get them from here," I surmised, desparately trying to come up with an alternative. My mind caught on something, and I called out, "Chief Murdoch!"

_"What is it?"_ the man responded over my right auxiliary screen.

He leaned in close to listen as I asked, "We still have the bazooka we got from the 8th Fleet supplies, don't we?"

Puzzled, the man confirmed, _"Yeah, we do! So what?"_

"Please get it! I'm diving into the sea!"

The ZAFT machine broke the surface again, firing a miniature torpedo that detonated on the forearm of the Strike; exploding but the force being absorbed by the Phase Shift armor. I fired back, but by that time the aquatic mobile suit had dived again: my shot producing a geyser but not penetrating the sea water far enough to do damage to my target.

_"Diving? What do you mean diving? The Strike!"_

"I know!" the Strike wasn't designed for underwater combat. "But we gotta do something!"

Mu was all alone out there, fighting two flying mobile suits that had an edge in maneuverability and versatility: he couldn't hope to combat an enemy both in the air and under the water. Even though the Strike wasn't designed for it I'd looked over the technical specifications enough to know that it was possible for the GAT-X machine to operate underwater for a short amount of time. The thrusters would give me some maneuverability – enough to operate at shallow depths and to return to the ship if the _Archangel_ stayed close to the water's surface. As the deck tipped crazily again I staggered back down the launch and retrieved the massive bazooka from its storage compartment, and then returning to the front of the launch I fired the thruster and leapt out over the sea.

One of the ZAFT mobile suits fired up at me, and I fired one of the bazooka rounds after it, following the explosion as I fell into the water. Using the maneuvering thrusters I managed to stabilize myself, dodging an attack and firing off another bazooka round. The enemy machine dodged, and I noted, "It's quick!" before the Strike was rocked by a second mobile suit ramming into my shoulder.

The first machine rammed me also, firing a trio of mini-torpedoes as it angled away, and I raised the bazooka to fire again, missing again. Fighting underwater was just so different from all the other combat I'd done, but while the enemy mobile suits had the upper hand their tactics were somewhat predictable: another rammed me, and dropping the bazooka and shield I retrieved the left side Armored Schneider combat knife while grabbing hold of a stabilizing fin with the right hand. Aiming at what looked like an intake for the underwater thrusters I rammed the knife through the armor and let go.

I'd only meant to hamper the machine's mobility, but I must have hit something besides the intake as the armor along the leading edge of the mobile suit began to crumple, completely imploding before it could reach a safe depth.

Perhaps in retaliation the second machine raced towards me, preparing to ram me again. By now I had some sense of how to maneuver under water, so unsheathing the right-side combat knife I moved forward to meet the combatant. He fired two mini-torpedoes, which I dodged, but he'd fired a second set of torpedoes, and I was forced to throw up my arms to take the hit, losing the grip on the combat knife in the resulting explosion.

Swearing at the loss of the weapon I was forced to take the hit from the oncoming ZAFT machine, rolling out of the impact as best I could, and then moving away. I could see debris falling through the water – Commander La Flaga must have destroyed one of the airborne mobile suits – and I looked around frantically for anything that I could use. Spotting a beam rifle I pulled the connected robotic forearm off and took up the weapon, searching through the deepening gloom for the second aquatic mobile suit and spotting it just in time to cushion the impact. This time, though, I did not try to push away.

Bringing the rifle up I aimed for the same intake I'd punctured on the other mobile suit and pulled the trigger, the energy bursts having such a short distance to travel were barely dissipated, and after two point blank range shots I pushed off, firing a third as I drifted away. The resulting explosion forced me even deeper, the cockpit alarm going off as the water pressure outside the Strike began to reach a worrisome level, and I fired the thrusters; retreating to a shallower depth now that the underwater enemies were taken care of.

Passing through the debris of the mobile suits I thought again of Andrew Waltfeld. "I know," I said to the memory of him, "But unless I do it, we'll end up . . . There is a major difference between attacking others and defending our friends and loved ones."

End Episode 21

NOTES: Under water combat is a lot like space combat, right? No, actually the realities of underwater combat include resistance and depth pressure. In these situations mobile suits under water would act more like capital ships in space. Not much deviation in the episode except for a few lines while Kira is talking with Cagalli and his requesting Sai and Kuzzey. In previous episodes I've downgraded Kira's programming skills: he's good at making patch programs on the fly, but he really does need the others to help stabilize the program into something that can be used long-term.


	22. Fateful Encounter

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode Twenty-Two: Fateful Encounter  
Date: March 5th, C.E. 71

Having moved out of the Red Sea into the Arabian Sea we were now encountering heavier swells, which were causing the ship to heave slightly. It was barely perceptible to me, but Flay was taking badly to the rocking: she'd seen the doctor and been prescribed medication, but until that kicked in she was to stay off her feet. My quarters being more convenient I pulled her inside and laid her on the bed before going to get a cold wash cloth.

"I feel sick," she complained again as I stepped out of the bathroom, my robotic bird, Torii, perched on my shoulder.

"Flay," I whispered to let her know where I was. "Here."

Laying the cooling cloth on her forehead had an immediate effect, and she sighed, "That feels good," in relief. Smiling, she grudgingly commented, "I'm not surprised about you, Kira, but why is everyone else all right?"

"I don't think the ship's swaying enough for this to be seasickness."

"It's swaying like crazy," the young woman moaned miserably, rolling onto her side.

Afraid that this might be something to do with . . . woman things, I suggested, "You want me to get Miriallia for you? Well, to help with other stuff."

She caught my hand, saying, "No. As long as you're here with me, Kira."

That was nice to hear, but a part of me worried that this was some ploy for us to spend more time together; and time together usually meant kissing, which usually lead to other stuff.

"I'd love some juice or something," she commented, and I took the out.

"Okay. Just wait a moment," I promised.

Getting up, I was halfway to the door when she added, "And this towel's already warm!"

The girl was seriously high-maintenance, and giving her a worried frown I sighed before letting the door close behind me. It was a short walk from my quarters to the galley, and along the way I spotted Cagalli and Ledonir coming out.

"Hi!" Cagalli called out. She was my age, 16, with blonde hair and a tan from spending the last few months working with the Desert Dawn rebels in northern Africa.

"Hi," I replied in passing.

Reaching the galley I stepped through the automatic door to find that one of the tables was taken up by my friends: Miriallia Haw, Kuzzey Buskirk, and Sai Argyle. Miriallia was also my age, with brown hair and blue eyes: she worked in the Combat Information Center as the flight coordinator. Kuzzey was a year younger, though brilliant, with black hair and brown eyes: he performed electronic warfare – trying to interfere with enemy sensors while keeping our own clear of interference. Sai was a year older than me, tall, with dark blond hair and brown eyes behind his tinted glasses: he also worked in the CIC, as a signals analyst.

It seemed so long ago that we'd been attending college on Heliopolis together; working in Professor Kato's lab at Morgonroete, trying to work out an operating system for what we thought would be the next generation of EVA mining suits, when in reality we'd been working on the operating system for Earth Alliance mobile suits. A lot had happened since then. For instance, we'd all enlisted in the Earth Alliance: initially in order to help the crew of the _Archangel_ help get the refugees on board out of harm's way, and then for our own reasons. When we'd first come aboard Sai and Flay had been together, engaged actually, but now she was with me and that had caused all kinds of problems between me and my friend.

Sai had been standing when I came in, but he sat down and wouldn't meet my eye. Resolving myself I walked past their table to get a cup, and Miriallia got up, chasing after me to ask, "How's Flay doing with her seasickness?"

I smiled easily and answered, "She had some medicine. But she's still groaning."

Getting the requested drink I walked past Kuzzey and Sai on my way out, but they didn't look at me and not knowing what to say myself I just kept going.

Returning to Flay I gave her the juice and ran the cloth under cold water again while she drank. "Hey, you're getting your color back," I cheered when I laid the cloth on her forehead again.

"Yeah, the ship doesn't seem to be rocking nearly as much as it was before," she noted while taking my hand. "I'm really sorry for bothering you, Kira: I know that you have more important things to do."

"Oh, it's alright, Flay; I don't mind taking care of you."

She smiled up at me, blushing slightly.

The PA squawked, _"All hands, level one battle stations! Repeat! All hands, level one battle stations!"_

I leapt to my feet with Flay calling after me.

"Sorry," I told her. "I gotta go."

Flay nodded, her lovely grey eyes pleading as she asked, "Protect us, please? Beat them all up."

She was seriously cute, but that last part . . . I ran out into the hall, then turned back to tell her, "Try to get some sleep if you can. You'll feel better that way."

Turning towards the ready room I found that Kuzzey, Miriallia and Sai standing next to my door, having stopped on their way to the bridge. Sai stared at me and I at him, with the other two looking back and forth between us, until finally Sai said, "I'm counting on you."

He'd looked at the floor while saying it, and I looked away too, before nodding, but it was the first time we'd spoken to each other since he'd been let out of solitary confinement. It was a start, I decided, and with a lighter heart I headed towards the ready room to change into my flight suit and get my briefing. Three mobile suits in the water, two confirmed as UMF-4A GOOhNs, like I'd fought before, and one more of unconfirmed type; Mu would be launching in the skygrasper to look for the carrier – they had to have one to be this far out.

"I copy: three underwater craft and a carrier," I repeated. "Tell the commander to take the Launcher Striker: he's going to need the extra firepower to destroy the ship. I'll make due with the Sword Striker."

_"Understood,"_ Miriallia replied; she must have taken over her post on the bridge.

Leaving the ready room I ran to the Strike's hatch and climbed in, running through the power-up checklist like it was second nature. Down on the hanger floor LTC La Flaga was arguing with Chief Murdoch and Cagalli – the probably wanted to fly the second skygrasper, even though it wasn't equipped with a Striker pack. I didn't have enough time to confirm my suspicion as the debate ended and the skygrasper was taxied to the port launch. Meanwhile the maintenance cradle was moved to the starboard launch, the "Schwert Gewehr" sword/thruster pack left shoulder "Midas Messer" beam boomerang housing, and "Panzer Eisen" anchor shield attached.

Murdoch came on the comm., asking, _"You want to go with Sword Striker?"_

"Yes!" I explained, "If I turn off the power to the beam it can be used as a normal sword!" Well, it could be used as a spear or a club, but the principle was sound.

During my preparations I heard Miriallia call over the PA, _"Cagalli, please launch!"_

So, Cagalli had gotten her way, after all. A shake of my head was the only dessent that I could express as it was my turn. _"Strike! Go ahead!"_ Miriallia called out.

The catapult threw me a good distance from the ship, a trick of the electromagnetics giving my some vertical lift at the end. Using the thrusters I gave myself a little more hang time while watching the water, and spotting one of the GOOhN aquatic mobile suits I turned to block a rocket-powered spear with the anchor shield. I fired the head Vulcans, driving the ZAFT machine to dive back beneath the waves and giving gravity a little help I dived feet first into the water to pursue it.

Drawing the anti-ship sword from my back I lunged at the first GOOhN; unable to use the beam edge my intent was to use the sharpened tip to spear the enemy unit. Unfortunately, the pilot was wily, and dodged. Even though the anti-air head Vulcans weren't as effective under water I fired them in the hopes of keeping the ZAFT mobile suits off balance in the interim. My shots missed, of course, but the second GOOhN came in close and tried to use its beam weapons, which I blocked with the anchor shield's anti-beam coating while taking cover behind an outcropping of rocks.

Swearing, I racked my brain while admonishing myself, "I've got to stop them somehow!"

The target-lock alarm went off, and I turned to see three mini-torpedoes coming at me from the side – the third unit had entered the battle. I was rocked by the explosions, the expansion of the water throwing my clear of the worst debris, but the unexpected movement had me grunting against the acceleration. From out of the silt cloud the third unit emerged, painted in aqua-blue and -green as a form of camouflage in these depths, and as I dodged away it pursued me while the other mobile suits headed towards the _Archangel_.

It came on, the rounded wedge that made up the leading edge splitting open into shoulders, the large clawed hands coming forward to reveal the barrels of energy weapons in the palms. Due to the dissipation effect of the water the energy blast was more concussive than anything else; the energy superheating the water: still, there was enough energy to cause a small explosion on the outcropping where I'd landed.

Leaping away I took the time to watch how quickly the new mobile suit moved through the water: its acceleration, its maneuverability, and its weaponry. "Why, that's . . ." the group commander: it had to be!

Just like with Andrew Waltfeld the commander of this group had the latest mobile suit designed specifically for the environment they specialized in!

It came after me again, dodging the thrust of my impromptu spear and countering swiftly; a move I barely managed to dodge, but I couldn't dodge the follow up torpedoes that impacted against the PS armor. Once I had my bearings again I fired the anchor – a grappling claw that was connected to the shield via a cable. The attack might have been novel, but the oncoming enemy knocked the anchor away and rammed into me; driving me back.

"What incredible power!" I grunted as the straps over my chest went tight with the negative g-force of the impact. Before I could manage to recover the Strike slammed backwards into another outcropping of rock and I was forced to flee from another torpedo barrage.

Unfamiliar element, superior enemy: this fight was definitely not going my way, but I had a sudden opening when an explosion rocked the ZAFT machine. Taking the opening I launched myself forward, keeping the anti-ship sword close to give me more control, thrusting at the last second and driving the tip under the shoulder armor. As far as I could tell, though, this had no effect, as the other mobile suit grabbed hold of the Strike's shoulder with one hand and its head with the other, pushing me backward into the seabed.

The barrel in the palm of the hand holding the Strike's head began to glow. "From such close range?" I wondered – at that range the expansion of superheated water and metal would likely destroy his unit's hand, too. Not only would it take the Strike's head, but the damage would likely destroy life support systems along with the primary sensor suite.

In desperation I drew both Armored Schneider and rammed them into either side of the other machine's sensor suite. This distracted the ZAFT pilot, and I was able to get leverage and kick the unit off of me. It back-flipped overhead, coming down on the outcropping a little distance away, and then exploded: I must have hit the torpedo magazine in the collar around the sensor suite. Debris and a cloud of silt blocked my sensors, but by my last count there were still two more enemy units out there, so I moved quickly to cover and began scanning for them.

After two minutes of searching I discovered nothing, either on the sensors or visually, and using the thrusters I moved towards the surface of the water. The _Archangel_ was flying by overhead, and now that my sensors could link up with theirs I could see one of the skygraspers returning as well: Skygrasper-1 according to the transponder. Mu was returning to the ship, but I couldn't find Skygrasper-2 anywhere on the radar . . .

End Episode 22

NOTE: I really hate that Mu is monopolizing the Launcher Striker pack, as I can't work towards the Perfect Strike, but in both these past two episodes having the Launcher on the skygrasper makes perfect sense.


	23. War for Two

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode Twenty-Three: War for Two  
Date: February 5th, C.E. 71

Due to the radar interference we didn't know what had happened to Cagalli after she was ordered to withdraw by Lieutenant Commander La Flaga. The captain had ordered a search and while Mu searched from the air I was to search the ocean floor . . . for wreckage. We were being through: that was all that could be said for our efforts.

While powering up the Strike I listened to Lieutenant Badgiruel over the comm. _"I'm sure a distress signal has been sent . . . but it's useless when the airwaves are in such terrible condition."_ Neutron Jammers seeded at the start of the war prevented long-range communications, though we were sufficiently far enough away from land that this wasn't usually a problem. _"There are numerous small, uninhabited islands in the vicinity"_ perhaps in an effort to be through ZAFT had imbedded a jammer among the islands,_ "so it's possible that she landed on one."_

"Yes," I said to confirm that I'd heard.

Captain Murrue Ramius came over the comm., appearing on my right auxiliary screen. "_I hate to ask you after a hectic day. You must be exhausted," _she empathized: her day must have been just as hectic, but perhaps less physically exhausted.

"It's not a problem," I lied, still feeling the bruises from where I'd been bounced against the seat restraints. "I feel fine."

"_Return after two hours, even if you're unable to find any leads,"_ the officer ordered._ "If we have nothing then, we'll think of a Plan B."_

"I'll be okay."

Apparently my promise wasn't good enough, because she added, _"It's crucial to us that you get sufficient rest. So make sure that you return after two hours."_

The maintenance cradle moved the Strike to launch position, and the hatches opened to reveal my equipment choices: the 15.78m anti-ship sword "Schwert Gewehr" and its accompanying thruster pack; the large anti-beam shield; and the bazooka. I would have liked to include the 75mm multi-barrel CIWS "Igelstellung", but left it to the skygrasper in case we were attacked while searching.

Calling out, "Strike, taking off!" I was rocketed down the launch, using the Schwert Gewehr's thrusters to add more momentum; clearing more distance before I hit the water to begin my search.

I started by plotting the wrechage of the two UMF-4A GOOhN and UMF-5 ZnO, the AMF-101 DINNs and the assault underwater submarine that had acted as their carrier. Once I'd ruled out these locations I began working out a search pattern. By this time more than the two hours had elapsed – the clock in the cockpit ticked over to 21:09 – and my friends aboard the _Archangel_ would begin to wonder where I'd gone.

"Cagalli," I sighed in frustration while turning back. "Where could you have fallen?"

As expected: as soon as I came into communications range Lieutenant Badgiruel was haranguing me. _"Ensign Yamato! You were ordered to back in two hours."_

"No," I argued, "my orders were to 'return after two hours'. But I'm fine – I just need to recharge the Strike's batteries and I'll be ready to go out again."

Captain Ramius came on, dryly replying, _"Semantics aside, you understood the spirit of my order, Ensign. Come aboard and get some rest."_

It was a whole lot of bother, but I used the thrusters to leap out of the water and land on the hanger deck. The maintenance cradle was waiting, but after connecting they wheeled the Strike to the back of the hanger before plugging in the umbilical, prompting a recharge cycle that would take about an hour. Wanting to be close I proceeded to the ready room and laid down.

An hour later I headed back to the Strike only to be waylaid by Commander La Flaga.

"Like I said," I defended what was obviously going to be an objection, "I'm all right. I rested like I was told."

Grabbing hold of my wrist the man denied, "What do you mean, you're all right? You can hardly call lying down for an hour while on alert decent rest. Besides, you ignored the captain's orders to return as scheduled."

"But . . .," I started, but I really had no way of defending my actions.

Looking up at the Strike I thought back to a few days ago, after we'd first reached the ocean: on deck Cagalli had given me a hug, patting me on the back and saying, _"It's all right. Everything's fine. Everything will be just fine."_

That had been the first time that anyone had comforted me since I'd left home.

A little later she'd commented, _"You know, you're a real puzzle sometimes."_ Strangely, I wanted for her to understand me, and for me to understand her. She was out there, I was sure of it, and I had to find her.

"The sun should be up in another five hours," Mu pointed out, putting his hand on my shoulder. "I'll go and search for her then."

When I tried to pull away from his grip he shook me, and when I looked up he added, "I can't stand it, either. I feel ashamed," while staring at the far end of the hanger like something there had offended him.

He felt the same way I did, then; though perhaps not for the same reason.

Looking at me again the man commented, "After having you do everything, I'm hardly in a position to tell you . . . but try not to do everything yourself." He went on, "She's a strong girl. Once the sun's up I'm sure we'll find her. It's gonna be all right."

Nodding, I headed back to the ready room and took off my flight suit before heading back to my quarters. Flay was there, curled up on my bed and hogging the blanket, so after stripping down I took the spare blanket from the other bed and curled up next to her. She murmured my name and smiled, but fell almost immediately back to sleep. I set the clock for 4 hours and slept like a rock for nearly all that time, turning the clock of quickly so as not to wake Flay.

Getting dressed I headed back out, this time with Mu flying aerial support.

The sky was still pink when I heard Commander La Flaga report, _"A distress signal! I got it!"_

Checking his location on the radar I changed course and headed for the small island, detecting the distress signal about 50 yards out and surfacing. The second skygrasper was half submerged under the waves, and had likely been all the way under when I'd been doing my search the previous day. Salt water was a great conductor but it would have blocked the locator beacon signal: now that the tide was down the transmission had been much stronger – the officers had been right to delay the search after all.

Above the beach, on a short cliff of rock, a blonde haired figure waved – Cagalli was safe, and uninjured enough to be energetic. With a sigh of relief I headed in.

End Episode 23

NOTES: This episode was Cagalli/Athrun-centric, leaving very little dialog to work with as this fan fic is Kira-centric. To be honest I don't know how long Kira had been looking for Cagalli as he doesn't look at the clock before launching; however, as he is on battery power even outside of combat the Strike must have operational limits. Please leave comments.


	24. The Land of Peace

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode 24: The Land of Peace  
Date: March 12th, C.E. 71

_Obsess much_, I thought while taking position on the forward deck of the _Archangel_, just above the hanger. Using the AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker equipment: the four Vernier thrusters having been modified to include two short wings on the upper thrusters that allowed for limited flight at the sacrifice of some maneuverability. With the 57mm high-energy beam rifle and the large anti-beam shield I added my firepower to the ship's 75mm close-in weapon systems.

Flitting about the ship on flying platforms were the GAT-X102 Duel, -X103 Buster, -X207 Blitz, and -X303 Aegis: machines stolen from the Morgenroete facility on Heliopolis where they'd been developed with my own GAT-X105 Strike. The ZAFT pilots that had stolen the machines had been dogging the _Archangel_ ever since, and the pilot of the Duel in particular seemed bent on my destruction. He'd modified the machine, using the available hard points to attach additional weaponry and armor, and even though these slowed him down the pilot moved in close, braving the CIWS, to attack me directly.

"Bastard," I swore while firing at the swift figure, missing but only narrowly: I was getting a better feel for this sort of combat.

I would have seriously liked to have had the combo weapons pod from the AQM/E-X03 Launcher Striker, but that module was preferred by LTC Mu La Flaga, and was currently equipped to his own FX-550 Skygrasper – the nimble aircraft was providing aerial support. A glance at the sensors showed that it was trying to prevent the Buster, on its own flying platform, from using its powerful energy cannons against our carrier. The _Archangel_, meanwhile, used its missiles, rockets, and energy cannons to some effect, but our enemy were all Coordinators; genetically enhanced at their parent's request to have heightened hand/eye coordination and reflexes: and on top of that they had the most advanced machines the Earth Federation had ever developed.

Another flying platform, this one carrying the Aegis, came in aiming at the CIWS – anti-air machine guns that were the _Archangel's_ primary defense – and destroying two on the port side. This created an opening for the Blitz; which, unmolested by the defensive fire, used its three "Lance Dart" hypervelocity kinetic energy penetrators to destroy the linear cannon on the port side.

Using both hands I took aim, firing on the Aegis as the ship released another volley of missiles as Miriallia Haw's voice came over the comm. _"Kira, aim for the things they're riding on – the Guuls."_

"R-Right!" I responded, and seeing the Duel making for another attack run I took aim at the platform as it recklessly advanced straight at me.

My shot cored right through the platform, the Guul, but the Duel leapt off and fired its thrusters while drawing a beam saber.

"Is he going to cling on?" I wondered at the desperate maneuver. Having the Duel on the deck of the ship would be disasterous, so putting down the beam rifle I deployed the glide-wings on the Aile thrusters and leapt out to meet the Duel; drawing my own beam saber.

The pilot of the Duel was fast, but he distained close-range combat; preferring bombardment or mid-range. He swung wide, a move I could easily block with my shield, perhaps hoping that the momentum of impact would turn us around and allow him to continue on to the ship. Instead, I jabbed with the sword, cutting his beam saber just beneath the blade emitter, melting it and fouling the hand that held it, while at the same time checking his advance with the shield. My forward momentum stopped while the Duel was pushed back over the open ocean.

Above, the Blitz on its Guul began a dive, so performing a backflip I put the Strike's feet on the back of the Duel and used the machine as a springboard to change my momentum. The Blitz's pilot turned around in midair and started firing its shoulder-mounted beam rifle but it could not check its descent, and hit the water hard. Meanwhile, I shield-slammed the Blitz and rammed my beam saber through the Guul before leaping clear.

Aegis on its flying platform fired, but with the Vernier thrusters I was able to dodge the attacks and return to the deck of the _Archangel_, retrieving the beam rifle to drive off the mobile suit.

Panting, I watched for the Buster and Aegis to make their next attack run: those two GAT-X units having retained their Guuls. Despite the now equal numbers the ship was still rocked by explosives, the two remaining pilots proving to be far more level-headed and wily. The skygrasper could not hover, and therefore had to make passes at the X103; which left stretches of time for it to fire while Mu was preparing for another pass.

A transmission in the clear warned, _"_ _This is a warning to the Earth Forces ship and ZAFT forces currently approaching! You are currently approaching the territory of the Orb Union. Alter your course at once. As a neutral nation we strictly prohibit trespassing into territories by any armed ship, aircraft, or mobile suit! Alter course at once! I repeat. Alter your course at once! This is your final warning. Should you fail to change your course in accordance with this warning, we will exercise our right to defend our nation, and open fire against you."_

The ship began to turn, but then Cagalli's voice came over the radio, demanding, _"How can you possibly say that after observing our situation? _Archangel_ will proceed into Orb's territorial waters. But do not open fire!"_

_ "Wh-Who are you?"_ the Orb naval captain demanded in turn

Distainfully, the young woman who was little more than a passenger on board scoffed, _"The question is, who are you? If you lack the authority to make the appropriate decision, then connect me to the government authorities! Get my father, Uzumi Nara Athha, on the line! I am . . . I am Cagalli Yula Athha!?"_

That was a hell of a claim, and the Orb captain seemed to think the same. _"I'm in no mood for jokes,"_ he growled back._ "There's no way that the princess could possibly be on your ship!"_

_"What?"_

In a more reasoned tone, the man pressed, _"Besides, even if it were true, I cannot simply do as you say without any conclusive evidence to support your statement!"_

_"Bastard!" _Cagalli accused.

While all this was happening the Buster and Aegis were still continuing their attacks – the Buster getting a couple of good hits. We were turning though, and the Buster was on the side facing the Orb fleet had had amassed to prevent our entry into their territorial waters: if he got any further out he would cross the invisible boundary and become a lawful target. He would have to reposition, and in repositioning he would take the quickest course, and that course would take him right into my firing arch.

Pulling the trigger I managed to core his Guul and he was forced to abandon it before it exploded. Still, showing remarkable clarity, he combined the two beam weapons into its most powerful form and fired the linear rifle at the _Archangel_, hitting the main thrusters on the port side. The entire ship started slewing to port and then starboard, nearly dumping me off the deck.

Abandoning the unsure footing, I launched myself into the air again; heading for the only Guul that was still in the air: the one the Aegis was standing on. He fired, forcing me to use the anti-beam shield to block and checking my advance in a single move, and I used my own beam rifle to return fire, driving him back while repeating his name, "Athrun."

He had been a childhood friend, but in the five years that separated our farewells as friends and reunion on Heliopolis he'd joined ZAFT, the military of the PLANTs. Since then we'd come to blows a number of times and I'd come to realize that he'd been taken in by the myopic ideology that prevailed on both sides of this conflict. On one side was the PLANTs, home to most of the solar system's population of Coordinators who were suing for independence, and on the other side was the Earth Alliance, a coalition of terrestrial nations ruled by Naturals who did not want to abandon the investment their nations had put into the colonies: ZAFT and OMNI-E were the military arms of the nations. Some, however, believed that this was a war between Coordinator and Naturals, rather than between a would-be nation and their nations of origin.

Beneath us the _Archangel_ hit the water, drifting across the line.

_"As you have ignored our warnings,"_ the naval officer announced, _"we will hearby exercise our right to defend ourselves!"_ And with that pronouncement the Orb fleet opened fire on the_ Archangel_ and the Aegis, driving us apart with missiles and aircraft.

I raced back towards the ship, landing upon the deck and marveling at how every shot of the fleet's barrage fell short. Sometimes only by a couple of meters and sending up a mist of spray and superheated sea water that would camouflage us from any sensors; including sonar. The Aegis disappeared from my sensors and a moment later the barrage ended, the mist passed and the fleet formed around us.

Without visual sensors we would look like just another ship in the fleet as we were escorted towards the islands.

_"Ensign Yamato,"_ Captain Ramius said over the comm., _"step out of the Strike, please; we don't want our escort to feel threatened."_

"Understood," I responded, powering down the Phase Shift armor and opening the hatch, but leaving the mobile suit's systems active in case I had to climb back inside. Taking the stirrup wench down I stood on the deck and felt the wind, somehow both familiar and alien to me, blow across my face as we proceeded towards the cliffs of Onogoro. My parents were living on one of the islands that made up the Orb Union: well, the man and woman who'd raised me, that is.

It was a strange sight, as I'd always dreamed of working at the Morgenroete HQ on Onogoro Island: it had been the future I'd been working towards while in college. To my shock a large part of the cliff face began to retract into the sea to reveal a massive cavern that the _Archangel_ backed into. "Well, that certainly wasn't on the tour during career day," I muttered to myself.

Orders came to move the Strike back to the hanger, and then I was given leave to rest. Flay would be in my quarters: she hated combat and she especially hated combat that caused the ship to pitch and shudder under impacts; and so would likely need comforting. Before heading to my quarters I stopped by the galley to get drinks to find my friends, Tolle Koenig and Miriallia Haw, Sai Argyle and Kuzzey Buskirk, talking with Chief Petty Officer Arnold Neumann – one of the ship's helmsmen.

They were halfway into the conversation, with CPO Neumann saying, "However, this is a difficult nation. It's amazing enough that they allowed us to enter their nation like this. In other words, it's up to Orb. We won't know either way until the captain and the others return."

Depressed, Miriallia noted, "Our dads and mons are here, after all."

"You want to see them?" Neumann inquired as I walked past, and I could feel the expectation rising in the room behind me. But the man just said, "I hope you get to see them."

I wasn't looking forward to seeing my step-parents, even if I was given the chance. Over the course of this journey I'd been accused of fighting against my own "kind", as one Eurasian general had put it, and the only thing I could think of asking Caridad and Haruma Yamato was why my parents had me genetically altered. As far as I could tell they'd altered my genes after the ban on modifying unborn children in the womb, which meant that they'd done so in defiance of the law; being Naturals. They wouldn't know.

Taking the tray with the two drinks balanced on top I went to my quarters.

"Flay?" I called out when I found the young woman kneeling on the bed, watching the static-filled screen that passed for a window and communicator in the interior room.

She looked back at me for a moment before returning her attention to the screen. "No. Not really," she sounded as depressed as Miriallia.

"Here," I offered her one of the bottles of juice before sitting down on the bed next to her.

"Thanks."

Trying to cheer her up I mentioned, "They say we may be able to disembark."

She did turn around and sit next to me on the edge of the bed, but only said, "Oh."

"You have a home here in Orb as well, right, Flay?" I ventured, trying to draw her out of one-word answers.

"Yes I do, but no one's living there," she answered, looking at the floor. "My mom died when I was little, and my dad's gone, too."

That last had me looking at the floor, too. I honestly believed that Flay had forgiven me for my part in her father's death – George Allster, Vice Foreign Minister of the Atlantic Federation, had accompanied the 8th Fleet's advance forces that were meant to rendezvous with the _Archangel_ in space . . . and he'd died with them – but I didn't think she'd fully come to terms with her part. In the middle of the battle Flay had come onto the bridge twice: the first to demand the status of her father's ship; the second time she'd come with a hostage – Lacus Clyne, daughter of PLANT Committee Chairman Siegel Clyne, whom I'd found drifting in an escape pod. These two events had distracted the bridge crew, causing them to be drawn away from their position in the battle and allowing ZAFT forces to destroy the ship he was on.

We sat in silence for a moment before Flay leaned against my shoulder. At first I thought this was another prelude to her trying to get into my pants, but as the moments passed and no advance was tried, I came to the conclusion that she just wanted to be held and comforted. This wasn't easy, as I was dealing with my own emotional turmoil, but the novelty of this in our relationship gave me hope.

For a while we sat like that, until hunger finally drew us out and I convinced Flay to come with me to the galley. Maybe the others were still there, and we could all sit down and actually talk to each other around a meal; instead of sending messages back and forth as we had done the past couple of weeks. Flay insisted on holding my arm, preening as we walked down the hall, until we came to a knot of enlisted personnel and heard the voice of Cagalli.

"I can walk on my own," Cagalli ascertained sternly.

"You mustn't," a woman's voice responded.

A narrow lane between the men standing around allowed me to see Cagalli walking down the hall in the minced step she adopted while wearing heels, wearing a mint-green dress with a cream colored sash hanging off her left shoulder and cream pleats in the front, accented by a gold necklace, bangles, and ribbons. She was being led by the hand of a stout woman with brown hair and the insufferable quality of person who'd seen you grow up from toddler and still seemed to think you needed your nose rubbed and butt powdered.

It wasn't the first time I'd seen the girl dressed up – there had been that time we'd been the guests of ZAFT commander Andrew Waltfeld – but this was the first time I'd seen her after learning that she was the daughter of Lord Uzumi Nara Athha: Orb's former Chief Representative, but still the heir apparent to the royal house.

"That looks good on you," I called out, drawing the attention of the staring crowd. "I can't imagine that whoever designed it actually knew you as a person, but it does look nice."

A good thing Cagalli's eyes weren't energy pistols, otherwise she would have burned me through with that stare. Her fierce expression was so at odds with the rest of her appearance that I very nearly laughed.

Her words did make me laugh: "Yea, well how about you wear it instead."

"Cagalli," the woman holding her hand admonished.

Shaking her head the young woman passed me by, heading towards the hatch at the rear of the ship that would take her back to a world of gala balls and political talking-points and the kinds of things she'd probably been trying to avoid on Heliopolis and with the Desert Dawn. I knew her as a somewhat capable fighter with a fierce belief in the right and wrong of a situation – even if her beliefs were sometimes wrong-headed – who would do almost anything for a friend. Her march, as if she were off to the gallows with her head held high, was probably right in her mind.

The maid tugged Cagalli past with the eyes of the men following after.

Perhaps in response to my amused smile Flay scathed, "What's the big deal anyway?"

We did manage to sit with the others for supper, with Miriallia and Flay discussing Cagalli's dress – Flay had been studying Fashion and Business Management at the college on Heliopolis. Kuzzey was more interested in discussing our chances of getting some time off the ship to see the city: lamenting that he hadn't gotten to see Banadiya; the desert city where the Desert Dawn had bartered for supplies. Sai and Tolle were quiet, and I with them; each of us wrapped up in our own thoughts.

Still, it was a pleasant meal: the first time we'd all sat together since making planet-fall more than a month earlier.

As we were putting away our trays the captain, Lieutenant Commander Ramius, called over the PA, _"Ensign Yamato: please report to my office immediately. I repeat . . ." _and she repeated my name and the order.

"What's going on," Flay asked. "Do you have to go so soon?"

"Probably because it has something to do with the Strike," Sai surmised.

Latching on to that I agreed, "Yeah, he's probably right. Just wait for me in my quarters, alright?"

"Well, all right; but don't take too long."

I headed to the captain's office and knocked, then followed the military protocol from the mock-court martial: marching in at the position of attention and threw my crispest salute and chanted, "Ma'am, Ensign Yamato reports as ordered."

She returned the salute, looking rather rueful but pleased, and ordered, "At ease. Thank you for coming so quickly Kira, but I'm afraid that what I need to ask you will be difficult. When you chose to stay aboard you accepted a commission in the Earth Alliance and OMNI-Enforcer, and you have offered nothing but your best since giving your oath. What I am about to ask you, however, goes against that oath . . . or at least bends it near double. I want you to know that I take full responsibility for the orders I am about to give."

Taking a deep breath Captain Ramius continued, "The Orb Union has given us safe harbor for the moment, and offered to help us with repairs, on the condition that we turn over the Strike's combat data and for you, Kira, to help with 'technical cooperation'."

Giving that a moment of thought, I wondered, "They aren't planning to take the Strike, are they?"

"No, the Strike will be returned to us: in exchange for your cooperation the Orb Union has authorized Morgenroete to perform complete repairs on both the _Archangel_ and the Strike," she answered. "We will also receive safe passage out of their territory once repairs are complete."

"Can we trust them?"

Lieutenant Commander Ramius shook her head. "We don't have a choice: they have gone to great risk by concealing the fact that we're here, but if they were to leak our position to ZAFT we would find a fleet waiting for us when we left and would not be allowed to reenter Orb's territorial waters without being fired upon by the same. Having worked with the Morgenroete administrators on Heliopolis I can tell you that we fully intended to share the combat data of our tests with the GAT-X-series."

"So, we're following the spirit of the agreement, but not the letter," I said while considering the situation. "What kind of 'technical cooperation' are we talking about?"

"I don't know; Lord Athha wasn't willing to go into specifics: it's said that he knew nothing of Morgenroete's cooperation with the Earth Alliance, and I got the impression that he's remained strictly hands-off even after finding out," Captain Ramius answered. "If, however, you feel that your cooperation violates your oath as an officer of the Earth Alliance I encourage you to refuse."

"When do I leave?"

She considered me for a moment before answering, "You'll leave in the morning. Remember, Kira: even though you are a citizen of Orb you have sworn an oath as an officer of the Earth Alliance. Unlike that incident with Miss. Clyne, if you go against your oath it will be considered treason. You are dismissed."

I saluted and after receiving a return salute I stepped out of the office puzzling over the captain's words. After a couple of steps I realized that she'd been warning me against abandoning the _Archangel_ and remaining in Orb. To be honest, I thought Murrue Ramius had understood me better than that: I wasn't going anywhere until my friends were safe; and that wouldn't happen until we reached the JOSH-A, at the soonest.

Returning to my quarters I was forced to explain to Flay that I was going to another part of the facility: which was a chore unto itself. She had a dozen questions that I couldn't answer: Where was I going? What would I be doing there? How long would I be gone? When was I going? Why me?

The last two I was able to answer: "In the morning," and, "Lord Athha requested me directly as part of his deal to repair the _Archangel_."

She wasn't happy, but once she'd satisfied herself that she had all the answers I did the young woman decided I needed an extra reason to come back.

The next morning, under the cover of dense fog, I followed a military transport up the mountain road from the shipyard; followed it right up to another cliff face. This one retracted nearly three meters before splitting in two to reveal reinforced doors.

"Man, these guys love their secret entrances," I mused.

End Episode 24

Notes: So some minor changes in the narrative between Kira and Cagalli. For the life of me I couldn't understand why Cagalli let her maid order her around and treat her like a child when she had been holding her own for however long she was with Desert Dawn and the _Archangel_. I get that the woman was like a mother to Cagalli, but my sisters never let my mom treat them like babies who couldn't walk down a hall without holding another person's hand when they were 16.


	25. Endless Rondo

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode 25: Endless Rondo  
Date: March 13th, C.E. 71

I was beginning to think that the whole of the mountain that comprised most of Onogoro Island had been hollowed out as the inclinator (diagonal elevator) continued down into the depths. After an hour and a half marching up the winding mountain road, using the morning fog as cover, it seemed that I'd be back at sea level by the time that the lift reached its conclusion. This left me a lot of time to consider everything that had brought me up to this point: the attack on Heliopolis, being chased by the La Creuset Team back to Earth orbit, the descent to Earth, Desert Dawn, the journey across the ocean, being attacked by Athrun and the other X-series mobile suits.

The inclinator finally came to a stop, the gate rising and reinforced doors sliding apart to reveal a loading area. Waiting beyond the gate was a group of technicians and security personnel being led by a woman wearing a red blazer with the Morgenroete symbol on the left breast. She was in her late-twenties or early-thirties, with light brown hair and hazel eyes; matronly in appearance. One of the techs motioned me to a maintenance cradle before directing me to come out.

"Hello: my name is Erica Simmons," the woman introduced herself, "I'm a Senior Engineer here at Morgenroete, in charge of Orb's mobile suit development."

We started walking, and I asked, "What is this place?"

"Complete repairs of the Strike are possible here," the woman answered, rather enigmatically. "Since, well, you could say this is the home of the Strike's parents."

I suppose she meant that Orb's first attempts at producing a mobile suit had been conducted here. We passed through a set of reinforced doors into a hanger, with Ms. Simmons saying, "Over here. This is what I'd like you to see."

"This . . ." I started, but couldn't finish as my mind tried to comprehend what I was seeing.

Along the far was a row of mobile suits standing in maintenance cradles, at least two dozen of them. They were white, with red and black accents, which meant that they lacked the Phase Shift armor of the GAT-X-series models: they would have been grey-tones if that were the case. PS armor was both an advantage and liability as it used a lot of power while making the mobile suit nearly invulnerable to kinetic weapons, but without that power drain these mobile suits would be able to operate in the field longer. They were more equivalent to the ZAKU used by ZAFT's mobile infantry.

"There's nothing to be that surprised about," the woman confided. Pointing out, "Since you did first see the Strike at Heliopolis."

Another voice put in, "This is the true face of Orb, the so-called "neutral nation"!"

"Cagalli," I cheered to see a familiar face. She was wearing a red shirt and dark green pants; an empty pistol holster on her hip and her right cheek a faint red from being slapped.

Erica explained in a more reasonable tone, "This is the M1 Astray, a machine made by Morgenroete and belonging to the Orb military."

Captain Ramius would want to know about this, so I probed, "What does Orb plan to do with these?"

"What do you mean?" my guide started.

It was Cagalli who answered, "These are here to protect Orb." She went on to explain, "You're aware, right? That Orb will not invade another nation, that it will not allow another nation to invade, and will not intervene in the conflicts of other nations. This gives us the power to guarantee that." She sounded matter-of-fact about this. "Orb is such a nation."

Then her tone turned bitter as she added, "At least, it was supposed to be such a nation. Until my father betrayed it, that is."

My response was a sound of confusion.

"Oh, my," Erica scoffed. "Are you still saying such things?" It sounded like an old argument, and I wondered how well the two were acquainted. "How many times have I told you that it isn't true? Lord Uzumi had no idea that Heliopolis was helping the Earth Forces with mobile suit development . . ."

Interrupting the explanation the royal princess shouted, "Shut up! Do you seriously think such an excuse is acceptable? He was the nation's Chief Representative! If he didn't in fact know that in itself is a crime!"

That made no sense, but then I'd never been trained in politics: to no know something that people had worked to keep hidden had to be some excuse, right?

Apparently it wasn't, as Erica responded, "That's why he took responsibility."

"You mean handing duties to my uncle and blurting a bunch of nonsense?" my friend scathed. "But nothing has changed!"

In a reasonable tone the woman said, "It can't be helped. Lord Uzumi is very important for the present Orb."

"How can you say that about the coward?" Cagalli demanded.

Sounding like she was used to dealing with such histrionics, Erica sighed, "Lord Uzumi had given you so much love and care over the years. He will be saddened."

Perhaps Cagalli realized that she was being unreasonable, because she wouldn't meet the woman's eyes.

Confiding, the woman added "In addition, I'm not surprised to see you get slapped after the way you acted yesterday."

"Huh?" I wondered, but Cagalli simply rubbed her cheek, confirming that her father had slapped her but brushing off the incident in the dismissive gesture.

To me, Erica concluded, "Now, let's just let this fool alone. Come with me!"

I followed Erica and Cagalli caught up after a moment. We took an elevator to a balcony that overlooked a control area and I overheard one of the technicians saying, "Track voltage stable. Systems check, numbers seven through 183, all green."

A dozen stations in two rows flanked a central walkway, all looking through a wide window into a large room where three of the M1 Astray machines were lined up. We moved to stand at the front of the room, right next to the window, and Erica tapped the comm. hidden behind her hair.

"Asagi, Juri, Mayura."

Three female voices in unison answered, "Yes!"

I was surprised that they were using female test pilots: I'd been expecting to meet someone like Lieutenant Commander La Flaga, or Colonel Kisaka – men with a couple years of battle field experience. The voices coming over the speakers sounded young; not much older than myself.

"Oh, Miss Cagalli!" one called out – I wasn't sure which.

"Hey, you're right," a second noted.

The third scathed, "What? You've returned?"

Sounding annoyed, not angry, Cagalli shot back, "Sorry to disappoint you!"

"Begin," Erica ordered.

In unison the young women changed, "Yes!" before putting their machines through a series of maneuvers.

They moved forward at a labored pace, each movement slow and exaggerated, and at first I wondered if they were performing these maneuvers for the first time. But that apparently wasn't the case, as Cagalli's muttered, "Nothing's changed," and Erica's reply of, "But they're almost twice as fast now," implied.

"But at this rate, they'd be defeated instantly," Cagalli pointed out: an observation that was perfectly true. She really didn't need to add, "They'd be of no use out there, except as a target for the enemy."

One of the pilots complained, "Hey, don't be so cruel!"

"But it's the truth!" my friend shot back.

"You have no idea how much effort has gone into this!" another argued.

To which Cagalli pointed out, "The enemy won't know, either!"

"At least we can pilot this, unlike you!" the third maintained.

Her anger now sparked, the young woman next to me growled, "How dare you?! Then let me on it!"

"All right. All right. Stop it," Erica took charge. To me she confided, "But what Miss Cagalli says is absolutely true. That's why we want to make them stronger, like your Strike." Looking me in the eye she explained, "We want your technical cooperation in developing a support OS for that."

I took a moment to consider what she was asking me, comparing what I knew of Orb and its relation with the Earth Alliance – which the Orb Union had refused to join. As Cagalli had said; it was part of the policy of Orb to not get involved in the conflicts of others and none of Orbs resource satellites had joined the rebellion of the PLANT-type space colonies. Most of those agricultural satellites had been owned by the Eurasian Federation, and as they had the largest military presence in space they were leading the charge to retake them. The fact that Morgenroete was working with the Atlantic Federation, given their involvement with the hate-group Blue Cosmos, was a major coup in world politics, and stretched the creed Cagalli had cited earlier to the limit.

"So . . . let me get this straight? You mass produced a mobile suit without a functioning operating system?"

"We had every faith in Professor Kato," Erica answered a little smugly. "He promised that his team were the best he had ever seen; even if they hadn't completed their studies."

That team had been Sai, Kuzzey, Miriallia, Tolle and myself: we'd been told that we were working on the operating system for an asteroid mining extra-vehicular activity suit. As such their work hadn't been up to operating a mobile suit without a few modifications, which I'd been forced to make on the fly. Once we were onboard the _Archangel_ the others had helped me develop the patches into stable programs, and over the past two months develop the OS to its current state.

Finally I accepted that Orb would not use the M1Astray to harm either the Earth Alliance or the Atlantic Federation, but I did point out, "You do know that I didn't develop the OS for the Strike by myself, right?"

"You'll have the best minds in Morgenroete to help you," Erica countered.

"This will go a lot faster with Sai Argyle and Kuzzey Buskirk: both are geniuses who worked on the original OS and I am used to working with them."

Ms. Simmons finally nodded. "I'll speak with Lord Uzumi and see that they get clearance."

I nodded and turned back to the window to consider the problem at hand.

End Episode 25

NOTES: I hate recap episodes – there was two full pages of dialog crammed into 8 minutes of visuals involving three different locations and introducing four new characters of whom Kira meets only one face to face.


	26. Kira

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode 26: Kira  
Date: April 12th, C.E. 71

Morgenroete technicians in their two-tone blue overalls and orange hardhats moved across the Strike, which had been laid down in its maintenance cradle to make it easier for the men and women to clamber over. I myself was seated in the cockpit, my hands moving quickly over the keyboard as I pealed back the operating system, separating out all the modifications in order to determine what, if anything, of the original program was still in effect. It was absorbing work; the kind of work that I'd imagined doing as I grew up, and I felt more content with myself in completing the task. For a time I could forget that I was a soldier, forget the blood and tears that seemed to follow me wherever I went, and focus instead on the honest work of an engineer and programmer that I'd been called upon to perform with less frequency since arriving back on Earth.

There were always reminders, though.

"Wow!" someone called out. "I'm impressed at how fast you're typing!"

I looked up to see Cagalli Yula Athha, the daughter of former Chief Representative Uzumi Nara Athha, and Princess of the Orb Union. She was a young woman, my age, with blonde hair and brown eyes, a moderate build and a light tan from her time with the Desert Dawn.

"Oh, it's you, Kira," she exclaimed when I looked up. "I was wondering who that was aboard the Strike."

"Right. They say we shouldn't be in military uniform around here," I explained the fact that I was wearing a cream and orange jumpsuit – the kind of thing worn by mechanics.

"But what about you?" I wondered. "It's unusual for a princess to hang out in a place like this.

"Well, excuse me!" she condescended, trying to be scathing I thought. "And don't call me princess, or even think of me as one! I hate being called that."

"But it all makes sense now," I said back. "The reason you were at Morgenroete that time."

"Now you know," she sighed, revealing more in depth, "I heard rumors that Morgenroete was giving the Earth Forces a helping hand in manufacturing mobile suits in Heliopolis." Cagalli seemed to need to get the story off her chest, to actually talk things through, so I let her continue.

"I approached my father about it, but he kept avoiding the subject. So I had to go there and see for myself."

"And then you found out," I said, looking down at my keyboard. The memory of our first meeting, of chasing after her until we reached the loading docks where two of the GAT-X-series mobile suits were being staged – the X105 Strike and the X303 Aegis. She had clung to the rail while sinking to her knees, lamenting, _"I knew it. The Earth Forces' new model mobile weapons. Father, you've betrayed us!"_

"But he knew nothing about it, did he?" I pointed out. "Your father, ah, Representative Athha."

"Some people from within have said so," she admitted. However, she still maintained, "But my father never actually denied knowing."

To my surprised look she added, "He'd say none of it matters aside from the fat that it's all his responsibility and that there's nothing more to it." In a bitter tone adding, "And I believed my father."

"Cagalli . . ." I started, meaning to tell her that her father had to take responsibility because he had been the Chief Representative at the time. That was half the job of the Chief Representative – to take the blame for everything bad that happens – but I was interrupted by an overloud conversation from a couple of Morgenroete technicians.

"The abrasion on the conical hydro-dock is quite severe," one technician told his fellow. "It's the same for the rest of the drive system."

A second technician agreed, "It's been pushed to the brink. It's like it's screaming for help."

"You heard them," Cagalli noted.

I climbed out of the cockpit and stood on the chest plate, looking down at the head of the Strike. The machine had been through a lot: nearly two months of constant use with nothing but the most basic facilities to make repairs. Scratches and dents marred the plates, evidence that the Phase Shift armor wasn't impenetrable. With the clamps of the maintenance cradle in place and the data cables coming out of the access plate in the head the machine looked as if it were undergoing some non-elective brain surgery.

"Even so," I sighed, "there were a lot of times when I did not succeed in saving others."

Feeling a need for a break, before memories of the numerous times I'd failed to save lives could come back I headed towards the break room with Cagalli following me a moment later. I bought us both drinks, and in an effort to change the subject I asked, "Is that why you joined the resistance? Because you were pissed off, and ran away from home?"

"My father told me that I had no idea what goes on in this world. So I went to see for myself?"

"That's all?" I scoffed. There had to be more to it than that: from my position aboard the _Archangel_ even I could see that a conflict that had started as a rebellion in the PLANT space colonies was gearing up to become something more heinous. People on both sides had accused me of either 'siding against my enemies' or 'siding against my people', as though genetic heritage was more important than national origins. Never once had I been accused of fighting 'against Orb', the nation to which I'd been a citizen before being swept up in this misadventure; only 'against Coordinators'.

"In the desert, everyone fought desperately," Cagalli explained. "The land's just a pile of sand. Yet, they all fought desperately to protect it."

My thoughts went back to the men of Desert Dawn: a resistance group that fought against the foreign occupation of their territory. First they had fought against the Eurasian Federation and ZAFT in turn, using technology and tactics that had been effective against the first but nearly useless against the second. The best I could say was that they hadn't stooped to the tactics of suicide bombings and ritualistic killings, as some in that region had taken to in previous generations.

Just the thought of men on the back of old trucks firing massed RPG attacks against machines that shrugged off such inconsequential means filled me both with awe at their resolve and chagrin at their results.

"And yet, Orb . . ." Cagalli continued, mostly to herself as she looked out over the assembly floor where another half-dozen M1 Astray mobile suits were under construction, "We've got this much power. And even after all we can do, we still wanna be on the good side of the PLANTs and the Earth Forces."

Turning around, she demanded of me, "Don't you find that unfair? Is that supposed to be okay?"

With a sigh I answered, "A nation must first look to the wellbeing its own people. Would you rather fight, Cagalli? Is that in the best interest of the people of Orb?"

She was taken back by the question, so obviously she did not think that Orb should fight, but the young woman contended, "I just want to put an end to this war!"

"We all do," I pointed out. "But . . . the war will never end through fighting alone." Rather lamely I added, "I really doubt it."

Shaking my head I went further, adding, "Wars are a conflict between nations: on one side we have the PLANTs, who wish to establish themselves as a separate nation; and on the other we have the nations of Earth, who paid for the construction of the PLANTs."

"There are a lot of people on both sides of the conflict who believe this is a race issue," Cagalli pointed out. "You remember Andrew Waltfeld . . . sorry, I didn't meant to bring that up."

I'd cringed at the memory. Andrew Waltfeld, commander of the ZAFT forces the Desert Dawn were fighting, was one of those who had accused me of having "decided to fight against (my) own people".

"And there's Blue Cosmos on the other side, with their drivel about preserving a "blue and pure world"," she went on.

"When this conflict turns from a fight between nations to a fight between genetic status, Natural verses Coordinator, then both you and I know it will stop being a war," I answered with a little more intensity than I'd intended. "It will become genocide."

Taking deep breaths to calm myself I told Cagalli, "I have to get back to the _Archangel_ and give this information to Sai and Kuzzey."

She nodded, and after a word of goodbye we went our separate ways.

I actually did have to coordinate with the others: they'd been denied security clearance because Kuzzey was thought to be a flight risk by Lieutenant Natarle Badgiruel and because Sai wasn't an Orb citizen according to the Council of Representatives. Both points were true, but Representative Athha had given me permission to take my work back to the _Archangel_ where I could work with the others. The lieutenant thought this a tactical slip, because it allowed us to develop an OS for Natural pilots: as a Coordinator the OS I used in the Strike made it almost impossible for anyone to do more than move the mobile suit across the hanger deck.

Unfortunately I'd returned to find that my friends had gone to meet with their families, leaving me to work alone, and I chose to do so in my quarters hoping that Flay would come by. She didn't have any family in Orb, so I thought that we could spend time together. I was kept company by my robot bird, Torii: a green and yellow machine that had been modified by Athrun Zala; who was now an officer in ZAFT.

At length Flay did come in, not knocking as usual, but she didn't seem to notice me immediately.

"Hi, there," I said to get her attention, causing her to jump and turn quickly.

"Kira?" she exclaimed.

"Birdy," Torii chirped as it winged over to land on my head.

Laughing, I told it, "Hey, stop it, Torii."

"But why?" Flay asked.

Apologizing, I told her, "Oh, sorry. I'll be done in a moment. Would you mind waiting?" As a suggestion I told her, "You can wait for me at the cafeteria."

"Why didn't you go?" she asked, her tone harsh.

Still engrossed in programming I replied, "Eh?"

"Your family's here, too. Right, Kira?" she asked, her tone oddly flat. "Why won't you go see them?"

"This is taking longer than I expected. But I've got to get this gone before the _Archangel_'s departure." Both facts were true, as without Sai and Kuzzey to validate my work I had to go more slowly; and I really did have to get this done before we could leave.

"That's a lie! You're lying!" she accused, coming up to the desk and slamming her palm down on it.

She was angry, and yet she was smiling, the two expressions making her appearance sinister as she demanded, "What is it? You pity me?" Scoffing, she asked, "You? Toward me?"

"Flay," I said, wondering where this was coming from.

Before I could say more she went on, "Because no one's come to see me? So, you're feeling sorry for me? Is that it?" She shouted the last, and I began to come to the realization that I didn't understand her at all.

Trying again, I got as far as, "Flat. That's . . ."

"Get real!" she shouted to my face as I stood to talk with her on a level. "Stop it!" Flay wouldn't meet my eyes, her own filling with tears as she countered herself, "Why should I have you pitying me?"

"Flay," I tried again, reaching out to touch her shoulder, but she slapped my hand away.

"You're the one who's suffering the most, right?" she accused. And in a mocking tone she went on, "You're the one who people should feel sorry for, right?"

Okay, now I didn't know what we were talking about. Was she angry because she assumed that I was pitying her, or was she angry because people pitied me more, or was this her own feelings coming out at last?

"Kira has it tough," she scoffed. "Kira's all alone. You continue fighting, and continue suffering! You're unable to protect people, and you end up suffering more! So then you start crying." She sounded offended by the fact that I cried over those who I could not save. "And so, so . . ." She struck my chest with both fists, leaning against me as if for support that I wasn't sure how to give.

I started thinking back, trying to sort out where our relationship had gone so wrong. When we'd first become a couple, after I'd woken up from the fever-coma and she'd come to return the origami flower that the refuge Elise had given me. The time that I had fought Sai, how she always seemed intent that we spend time alone away from our mutual friends, her near constant sexual advances almost as if that were the whole of our relationship.

"So how, so how, how can you feel sorry for me?" she demanded while beating the heel of her fist against my chest, crying.

Flay had kept this bottled up inside her, never sharing it with me, and now that she was sharing I wondered if there really was anything I could do for her. She needed to talk with Miriallia, but so long as we were together Flay would keep trying to spend all of her free time with me. Coming to what seemed now the obvious conclusion I hesitated to say, "Flay. Stop it. Let's put an end to this. It was a mistake."

The words were all wrong, but they were the best that I could come up with, and they came out sounding pained and regretful.

At least her crying stopped, but she demanded, "What do you mean?" Finally looking me in the eye, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Pushing me back Flay fled out the door and Torii flew to my shoulder with a surprised and confused sounding, "Birdy."

Rubbing my head I tried to figure out what I could have said or done different, what I could say to repair things between us, but nothing came to mind. Worse yet, there was a strange feeling of release from the end of our relationship and the muddled feelings I still had for Lacus Clyne and Megan Astor, who had been haunting my dreams a lot lately. Ugh, I was a mess! No wonder Flay went so spectacular to pieces.

My friends returned from the visit with their families still rubbing tears from their eyes, and even though I knew that they were in no fit state emotionally I had to ask, "Sai, Kuzzey, could you go over the OS data with me: I know that there's something I'm missing."

"Uh, yea, sure thing," Sai said, demurring only slightly by adding, "I just need to talk to Lieutenant Badgiruel for a moment."

"Okay." That was odd; Sai's wanting to talk with the LT, but it was his business. "Miriallia, could you talk to Flay? It upset her that no one came to see her, and she went to pieces; emotionally, you know."

"Boys," Miriallia sighed, but she gave me a hug before leaving to look for Flay.

"I'll be . . ." Tolle started, but Kuzzey, Sai, and I all finished for him, ". . . down in the hanger." Tolle had taken to monopolizing the skygrasper simulator whenever Cagalli (before she'd disembarked) or Lieutenant Commander La Flaga weren't using it.

A couple of days later, with Torii perched on my shoulder, we had the working prototype of a Natural OS ready for testing and Asagi Caldwell of the pilot candidates drew the long straw. The movement of the M1 Astray was orders of magnitude above what the Morgenroete programmers had managed in the months since the disastrous end of the X-series project. She could now use the auxiliary thruster pack, rather like the Aile Striker's Vernier thrusters, to perform assisted leaps and control her movements in midair for a softer landing.

"Wow! Awesome!" Asagi enthused while her squad-mates, Juri Wu Nien and Mayura Labbatt watched with a combination of amazement and jealousy.

Erica Simmons, the Senior Engineer of the project, looked on in cool interest, more interested in the particulars than anything else.

"I've created a new quantum sub-routine." I'd found that talking helped me focus, so as I made alterations based on the feedback data I continued, "I've also increased the relative speed of the synapse fusing by 40 percent and have redesigned the molecular structure of the ion pumps to better comply with the reflexes of the average Natural . . . well, the average of the sampling provided." Which was probably above average, now that I thought about it.

"I'm quite amazed at how much you've done in such a short time," Erica enthused.

While it was nice to be appreciated I'd hit a tricky bit in the programming and didn't reply immediately.

"Will it perform as well if I pilot it?" Mu La Flaga inquired. The LTC was dressed in a cream and orange jumpsuit and had accompanied me for this demonstration because he wanted to see how the M1 Astray handled the tests.

"That's right, Commander. Want to give it a try?" the Senior Engineer replied teasingly. "Let me have the combat data from your Moebius Zero mobile armor and I'll consider it a fair trade."

I sighed, because I knew Commander La Flaga enough to know that he'd insist on a combat drill with the best pilot available . . . which was me, as I had far more combat experience than the three test pilots. He gave me a level look in response: perhaps gaging my mood in that instant.

To her pilot Erica announced, "Asagi! You may finish now."

"Okay!" the pilot replied. "But I think we need to start wearing flight suits during these tests; I got bounced around quite a bit."

When Asagi had secured her Astray and after a few slight modifications based on her verbal feedback we left the control room, her pilots going over their thoughts and impressions with Erica while Mu stayed by my side.

"Oh, Kira, your Chief Murdoch said that he wanted to speak with you when we were done here," Erica passed along the message.

"Then I'll make my way to the Strike," I told the group at large.

"Okay. I'll see you later," the woman replied, and we went our separate ways.

Mu called out, "Hey, Kira!" and ran to catch up with me.

"What is it, sir?"

He looked at me sidelong, with a suspicious look on his face. "Why are you looking so upset?"

"I don't look upset," I replied, a little too defensively.

"Yes, you do. And I hear you've declined a chance to meet with your parents. Why?"

"Kira," he stressed, and I knew that I'd have to give him some answer.

"They're my step-parents, and even if I did meet them, I'm a soldier now," I reasoned.

We'd reached the Strike's maintenance cradle where Chief Petty Officer Murdoch and other mechanics from the _Archangel_ were working to replace the damaged and worn parts identified by the Morgenroete team. Many of the components had been identical to what had been used on the Astrays, and for the rest there was a complete fabrication facility somewhere in these labyrinthine depths.

"Hey, kid!" Murdoch called to get my attention. "I've increased the output of the thrusters by 18 percent so could you check the parameters for the momentum control?

"Sure," I replied: glad of the excuse.

Mu, however, wouldn't be evaded so easily – a personality trait required to pilot the Moebius Zero with its four detachable weapons pods, as far as I could tell. He climbed up the Strike after me and leaned over the cockpit opening as I made the adjustments. The man's reasoning was, "You may be a soldier, but you're still yourself. I'm sure that your parents, step or no, are hoping to see you."

Not stopping, I picked out the most inconsequential details, and said, "Day in and day out, this is all I do. I fight battles in a mobile suit and help with its development and maintenance . . . because I can."

Perhaps sensing that I wasn't being totally honest the man stressed my name.

With a sigh I told him, "I'll be fighting against ZAFT again as soon as we leave Orb."

My mind flashed back to the most recent of the battles. The X102 Duel: the pilot preferred ranged combat easily fell to feints. X207 Blitz: the pilot seemed reluctant to engage in one-on-one combat, preferring to focus his attacks on the ship. Aegis, X303; Athrun: he was probably the best of the ZAFT pilots, but I could tell that he was holding back – he didn't want to kill me, and I didn't want to kill him – which was probably why he was the most dangerous. I didn't know much about the X103 Buster as that pilot usually stayed so far back that I didn't engage him often.

"Well, uh . . ." Mu stammered.

"Oh, about the Agni's shielding," Chief Murdoch called up, "we're still waiting on the quantum scattering in the magnetic barrel. It'll be another thirty minutes. I'll do a shakedown later, so have it ready."

"Right," I shouted around the lip of the cockpit.

Mu sighed, perhaps trying to think of some other way to ask his question, so I finally explained, "I've already heard the answer to the question that I really want to ask them."

"What question?"

"Why the hell did my parents make me a Coordinator?"

He gasped, taken aback, but I could tell that he had more questions for me. Just then, though, Torii gave a sudden call of, "Birdy," and took off. That was unusual, because it didn't like unfamiliar places and would normally stay perched on my shoulder until it had mapped enough of the location to navigate itself back to me.

"Hey, Torii," I called after it, folding up the keyboard so that I could stand and track its flight. "Torii!"

It flew up the levels towards the surface exits, flitting out a door that had been propped open by Morgenroete personnel taking a smoke break without clocking out. By the time I got through the door I'd lost sight of the robot and was forced to watch the skies while calling its name. "Oh, no. Where could it have gone?" I lamented.

Torii had never been to Onogoro Island, and didn't have the navigational software to plot a course between the military facilities and my step-parent's place on one of the other islands. Desperately I looked around, cocking the trees on the other side of the fence, and then the quartet of young men standing by a rental car. One of them was walking towards me with a measured step, with Torii perched on his hand: his black hair purple in the light and his green eyes fixed on me, I recognized the teenager.

_Athrun_, my brain screamed. What was he doing here, on Onogoro, just across the bay from the naval base and actually inside Morgenroete's outer perimeter? Almost of their own accord my feet carried me forward until there was just the fence between us.

For a long moment we just stared at each other across the fence: oppressed into silence by all the things that had been said and unsaid between us over the last two months of battles.

Holding out Torii, Athrun broke the silence by asking, "Is it yours?"

"Thank you," I managed, holding out my hand so that the robot could hop onto my palm.

One of his friends, perhaps a pilot of one of the other stolen mobile suits, called out, "Hey! Let's go!"

He turned to leave, and wanting some better resolution between is I said, "A friend gave it to me!" That brought Athrun up short, so I continued, sounding lame to my own ears, "It's a very precious gift that a very precious friend gave me."

'Precious', that had to be the lamest word to use in this situation. Purple flames like eyes seemed to burn in my memory, and I remembered the image of a despicable creature huddled in the dark pining over something in its hand while it mutter, _"My precious."_

_Where did that come from,_ I wondered.

Athrun's reply was a simple, "I see."

There was still so very much left unsaid between us; but behind me Cagalli was running my way and shouting out, "Kira!" I wasn't supposed to be out in the open like this.

Giving me one more regretful look Athrun went to join his friends, and the time for words was past. Cagalli and I were left to stand watching him walk away as the memories of my childhood friend passed like snapshots through my mind: two Coordinators united for a brief time by our genetic status on Copernicus. More recent memories crowded those out: our reunion on Heliopolis where he and his team were there to steal the mobile suits; the battles in space where he had tried to either capture the Strike in an effort to make me 'see reason'; the battle with the advanced portion of the 8th fleet, and when I'd returned Lacus Clyne; and his promise to destroy me the next time we'd meet. Lastly, I remembered the day when we'd been children, and he'd gifted me Torii; promising me that there would be no war, and that we'd meet again as friends.

He turned to look back, one last time, before getting into the car.

End Episode 26

NOTES: Just some minor alterations due to Kira not being wholly responsible for the OS programming and his knowledge of being adopted. I also put in Erica Simmon's interest in the Moebius Zero as a reference to the video game, where leaving the Moebius Zero with Morgenroete results in the development of the Gunbarrel Striker that Mu can use once the _Archangel_ returns to space. Please leave comments: they mean a lot to me and often help me identify weaknesses or opportunities in my writing.


	27. The Turning Point

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode 27: The Turning Point  
Date: April 13th, C.E. 71

"How do you know they were ZAFT soldiers?" Lieutenant Junior Grade Natarle Badgiruel demanded. She was a rather strict woman of 25: with short black hair and purple eyes she would have looked pretty if she'd smile.

We were sitting in the Captain's Office, a small room close to the bridge: Lieutenant Badgiruel and myself, with Lieutenant Commanders Mu La Flaga and Murrue Ramius.

"Lieutenant," LTC Ramius said calmly, checking her subordinate: as senior officer the command was hers. Murrue was a year older, with brown hair and eyes, and she had a much more nurturing personality that at times seemed ill-suited for military service. I'd learned that she'd been studying to become a school teacher when her reserve commission had been called up. "Kira?"

"I recognized one of the pilots who stole the mobile suits from Heliopolis," I explained. From the most inconsequential information I went on, "He's the pilot of the pilot of the Aegis, and I recognized him from when I released Lacus Clyne into his custody and from Heliopolis when he stole the Aegis."

Mu believed me instantly, surmising, "The other three might have been the pilots of the Duel, Buster and Blitz."

"And this information is just a few minutes old," Commander Ramius sighed. "I'll let Representative Athha know: perhaps he will be able to catch them before they leave the island."

"And what if they are not caught, Captain?" Natarle stressed, in what seemed a pointed reminder to a conversation I hadn't been a part of.

Nodding, the captain said, "Regardless, we need to be ready for the very real possibility that we will be attacked as soon as we leave Orb's territorial waters. I am open to any and all suggestions: Natarle, Mu, Kira."

"It'll be all right," Tolle was assuring myself and Lieutenant Commander La Flaga from the seat of skygrasper-2. "I've had a ton of simulator training! I can do it!"

He wasn't lying about the training: since the simulator had been bolted into place in the corner of the hanger Tolle had been practicing during all his off-duty hours, only taking time off to eat meals with his girlfriend, Miriallia Haw. Tolle had been serving as Assistant Helmsman on the bridge and was no slouch in his studies, and had been selected by Professor Kato to be part of the special project group that had created the GUNDUM MOS – the basic operating system for the GAT-X105 Strike.

"Well, we'll be in better same if we get two of these planes out," Chief Murdoch reasoned. "The Strike's at a disadvantage on the Earth's surface, after all."

"But, Tolle . . ." I started.

"I'll only be supporting the Strike and observing from the air," he contended.

A part of me was worried for my friend, but it was true that the plan devised by the senior officers would benefit from having the second skygrasper in the air. We'd originally intended to leave the second aircraft carrying the Sword Striker pack so that Commander La Flaga could quickly change aircraft in mid-battle. This was a limiting factor, because it would leave me alone on the battlefield with at least two enemy mobile suits – a situation we'd tried to avoid as often as possible. With both the commander and a second skygrasper in the air I could extend my operation time and make sure that the ZAFT forces were driven off.

"Are they orders from Lieutenant Badgiruel?" Mu asked Tolle, perhaps suspicious because the lieutenant had been adamant that they needed the second aircraft in the air.

Tolle's expression was completely open as he answered, "I volunteered! I've got to do what I can."

I liked Tolle because he and I were much alike: he too didn't like sitting on the sidelines when something needed doing and he had the ability to get it done. We'd been friends almost from our first introduction at Freshman Orientation when we'd found out that we were to be roommates. His easy-going attitude could sometimes venture into overconfidence, and he sometimes got in over his head, but I could always count on him being there if I needed help.

With that powwow over I headed back to the pilot's ready room to wait for combat, going over the details of the operation with Tolle so that he'd know what to expect. The senior staff had been informed of the possibility of combat, but no one else had been in an effort to avoid panic among the crew: this had been something Lieutenant Badgiruel insisted on. It was obvious that Tolle hadn't been expected to be thrown off the deep-end quite so soon, but he adapted quickly and listened to his orders.

_"Ensign Yamato, please contact the bridge,"_ the PA squawked, repeating the message a couple of times.

"Bridge, Yamato," I said when I got to the wall-comm.

_"Ensign, Representative Athha wishes for you to go to the upper deck,"_ the captain said.

"Um, okay; any reason why?"

_"No, but please hurry: we will be departing soon. Starboard side upper deck, in your dress uniform, please."_

So I was obliged to shift uniforms before climbing the ladder past the Gottfried Mk.71 225cm high-energy beam cannon to the deck atop the launch, which had a pretty impressive view of the whole hidden dry dock. For a moment I wasn't sure what I was supposed to see or do up here, but Lord Uzumi's requests were rarely without purpose, and shortly I heard a girl's voice calling my name.

Moving to the rail I saw a young woman racing down the gangway that bridged the flooding repair facility to the ship. "Cagalli?" I wondered. "But why?"

"Your parents!" she shouted up as she ran. "They're there!"

I looked toward a reviewing booth and saw them – my step-parents: my mother's sister Caridad and her husband Maruma. Caridad, with her purple-black hair and green eyes was trying to shout something at me that was blocked by the glass and the distance while Maruma simply waved to get my attention. When they realized that I'd seen them my aunt broke down crying and her husband held her close, giving me an encouraging nod.

Out of breath, Cagalli climbed the ladder behind me and out of breath she panted, "Why won't you meet them?"

When she had her breathing under control she came to my side, demanding, "Hey, Kira!"

Something in my expression gave her pause, though, and she looked up at the reviewing stand where my step-parents were standing with her father, Erica Simmons, and Colonel Ledonir Kisaka.

"Could you tell them sorry, but not now," I finally said, "for me? Right now, I . . ."

With tears in my eyes I remembered the numerous confrontations I'd had with Athrun, knowing that one battle was coming.

"Okay," she agreed.

Turning back to the hatch, I told her, "Take care of yourself, Cagalli. And thanks for everything."

"Kira!" she shouted, and I turned to find her throwing her arms around my neck; hugging me close. With both humor and an easy affection she said, "Don't get yourself killed!"

"Don't worry. I'll be all right," I answered, giving her a brief hug back. Embarrasingly, tears were coming to my eyes, and I had to break away before I messed up the epaulets on her Orb military uniform.

We headed down the ladder, back into the ship, and then I escorted her back to the gangway. The maintenance bay was flooded and it was time for us to head out, so with a final wave I closed the hatch. For a moment the sensation of the deck moving had me off balance, but I adjusted quickly while making my way back to the ready room. At that point there was nothing to do but wait, and the waiting I could do in the cockpit of the Strike, so I headed out.

Murdoch was waiting by the cockpit of the mobile suit, and he wondered, "What's wrong, kid? No orders have been given out yet."

"ZAFT will attack us once we leave the territory," I reminded the man, climbing into the cockpit and starting the power up checklist.

Not all of the senior staff believed that we would be attacked as one report after another came back negative: the ZAFT submarine was nowhere to be found. Mu had agreed with me: pilots wouldn't go very far from their machines. Natarle had agreed with me: an amphibious entry and exit was the least likely means of being detected, which necessitated a submersible. The captain had agreed with me: from what she'd observed of the psychology of the pilots they would take great risks for small rewards – and if the Aegis' pilot recognized me then they would all be waiting to attack.

We skirted the invisible boundary claimed by Orb, going east before turning north toward the Marshall Island, and finally leaving the escort fleet behind. The deck tilted precariously as the _Archangel_ lifted off: we would no longer be detectable by sonar, even if we were now silhouetting ourselves on radar: it would make it more difficult for submersible mobile suits to find and attack us. Finally the order was given, _"Prepare for underwater and mobile suit battle,"_ and thus vindicated to the disbelieving Chief Murdoch I proceeded into the launch for my first load out.

In addition to the "Igelstellung" 75mm multi-barrel CIWS in the Strike's head and the "Armor Schneider" combat knives in the hip-skirt, the Launcher Striker added the "Agni" 320mm hyper impulse beam cannon connected to the support thrusters on the back, and a combo weapons pod on the right shoulder that held a 120mm anti-ship Vulcan gun and two 350mm gun launchers. Once equipped I moved to the end of the launch where an umbilical was positioned – originally intended to power optional weapons that had never been included with the ship's supplies This I connected directly to the Agni.

"Connecting power conduits," I called out over the comm., confirming, "Auxiliary power online. Standby complete."

From the sides of the ship a half dozen rockets were fired, each disbursing thick streams of smoke before bursting into even thicker clouds, and emitters across the _Archangel_ emitted more smoke, blanketing the ship completely. My targeting sensors were almost completely obscured, the ship also, but the four mobile suits on their Guul sub-flight lifters were also prevented from using their targeting systems effectively. Before Athrun and his friend could start taking potshots Mu and Tolle launched in the skygraspers; the plan being that they would transmit their targeting data back to the ship and myself respectively.

Finally I heard, _"Skygrasper Koenig here! Strike, can you hear me? I'm sending you enemy coordinates and targeting data!"_

_Tolle_, I thought, wishing that I could tell him to be careful, but instead I simply said, "Roger!"

Activating my targeting computer I brought the Agni up and focused on the position that Tolle was marking for me, firing five times and hitting nothing. That was disappointing, but well within the battle plan: the idea being that we drive the attacking mobile suits apart, either in pairs or individuals. Disconnecting the umbilical and activating the PS armor I used the thruster to leap into the air towards the pair of mobile suits on my right, which turned out to be the Duel and Buster.

I'd expected the two to be together: of the four these two seemed to be the closest, having a similar bias for ranged weaponry. They'd both descended to Earth after the battle in orbit, been assigned together to the _Lesseps_ in that last battle with Desert Dawn, and finally been reunited with the Aegis and Blitz these last few weeks. Dodging around a volley of fire sent from the pair I focused on the X103 Buster, as it had no melee weapons; using the Agni to blow a hole in that machine's Guul before closing in and kicking the Buster into a rollover. The pilot would have to ditch and take to the water: a position from which its gun launcher and high-energy rifle would be useless.

Trying to perform a high-speed turn on its Guul, the pilot of the Duel could only bring its 75mm CIWS to bear, but the bullets bounced harmlessly off the PS armor of the Strike. I instead used the 120mm anti-ship Vulcan against the Duel's sub-flight lifter, and my opponent was forced to make a slow descent to the waves; born down by the additional weapons and armor he'd added since taking possession of the X102.

Despite Commander La Flaga's best efforts the Blitz and Aegis were still in the fight: but that was also to be expected. Both pilots had proved to be far wilier and disciplined than the others – less likely to leap into the fray without a plan. They fired as I descended towards the _Archangel_, which was coming out of the disbursing smoke cloud with its Gottfried Mk.71s blazing away. Landing on the deck above the hanger I prepared for the next stage of the operation.

Our plan was designed to maximize the operation time of the Strike; so I turned off the PS armor and ejected both the Agni and combo weapons pod, positioning myself with especial care while the _Archangel _continued to provide covering fire. The combination of energy and explosives forced the two hovering mobile suits to the defensive, using their anti-air weaponry to shoot down the rockets while dodging erratically.

_"Strike, standby to convert to Aile mode!"_ Miriallia ordered.

_"Don't drop my present,"_ Mu added as he lined up behind the bridge tower.

"Go ahead, Commander!" I confirmed, and then leapt into the air to the required height.

Behind and above me Commander La Flaga was releasing the Aile Striker equipment that his skygrasper was carrying. The short-winged thruster pack first, which raced out ahead of the aircraft and connecting to the Strike's back. As he passed overhead the commander released the anti-beam shield and beam rifle; powerful electromagnets and careful maneuvering brought them into position for me to grasp in the Strike's hands. As the commander hadn't been using the weaponry the new equipment still had a full charge: allowing me to carry on the offensive.

Rocketing towards the second pair I focused my attention on the Duel, who'd always seemed the most timid of the ZAFT pilots. That was not to say that the X207 wasn't a capable machine, but it was designed mostly for stealth, with a Mirage Colloid system that made it invisible to the eye and most sensors. Most of its weapons were part of the "Trikeros" Offensive Shield System on the right arm, which included a 50mm high-energy beam rifle, "Lancer Dart" hypervelocity kinetic energy penetrators, and a beam saber. On the left arm was the "Gleipnir" piercer lock, which was similar to the "Panzer Eisen" rocket anchor on the Sword Striker, except that it was designed to pierce armor. This last he used first, firing the Gleipnir.

Hooking the beam rifle to the waist skirt, I drew a beam saber and cut the piercer lock in two, severing the trailing cord: I didn't want to deal with hit again when he pulled the weapon back. With the beam saber built into the shield it limited the Blitz's combat actions as he could either block or cut, but not both. This created for a strange combat, one I hadn't accounted for, and I found myself at a loss for how to combat the pilot's almost solid focus on defense.

The Blitz repulsed me again and again, causing my to waste a lot of energy to stay airborne as we slammed blade to shield. He managed to get some clearance and brought the Trikeros up, preparing to use the beam rifle or Lancer Darts, but then missiles slammed into the side of the mobile suit – the second skygrasper flashing past.

_"Kira!"_ my friend called over the comm.

"Tolle!" I answered, wanting to order him away, but I saw an opening and went for it.

While the Trikeros was still thrown wide I moved in and slashed, hitting the point between chest and shoulder armor to cleave through the shoulder connection assembly. Now both figuratively and literally disarmed I knocked the Duel off of its Guul and took the control position on the sub-flight lifter: exactly as planned.

The lifter under my control, I could now conserve power that would have otherwise gone to the thrusters, and could now turn my attention to the last of the mobile suits still in the air. Replacing the beam saber I brought the rifle up, using the shield to deflect return fire as I aimed to bring down the Guul being ridden by the X303 Aegis. We were pulling such high-speed maneuvers that I couldn't get a clear shot as we circled: my focus on disabling, not destroying.

_Athrun_, I thought, as the memory of our last meeting flashed through my mind. He was still my friend: despite all of this he was still my friend, but the only way to save him was to damage the Aegis beyond repair.

He came in for another pass, and taking aim I managed to blow a hole clean through the Guul, forcing Athrun to abandon the machine. Unfortunately, that left his lifter on a ballistic course for my own; forcing me to abandon it and rely upon my power-consuming thrusters. Meanwhile, the Aegis still had another trick up its sleeve as it transformed into a high-speed mobile armor mode – the arms and legs concerting into finger-like claws centered on the "Scylla" 580mm multi-phase energy cannon: the most powerful weapon created by the G Project. As he fell he fired twice, forcing me to return to the _Archangel_.

Instead of falling into the water, however, the Aegis landed on a flat island; from which it would be able to fire on the ship as it passed.

_"Kira!"_ Tolle called out. _"I'm sending the sword to you!"_

"Tolle!" I called back, ejecting the Aile Striker and preparing to perform a repeat of the earlier equipment change.

We were so close that the _Archangel _had to resort to using the CIWS which was usually reserved for close-in defense. All the Aegis had to do, though, was to leap into the air and convert back into its MA mode to use he Scylla – it was powerful enough to blow a hole through the ship, crippling the plan to withdraw as fast as possible.

Once I had the new equipment I jumped into the fray with the "Schwert Gewehr" 15.78m anti-ship sword raised over my head.

"Athrun!" I called through the external speakers, slashing through the Aegis' beam rifle as Athrun hopped back to avoid a more direct hit.

_"Ensign Yamato!"_ Lieutenant Badgiruel warned, _"Don't chase it too far!"_

She was right: as much as I wanted to cripple the X303 we would have to withdraw shortly. "Retreat, already! You guys have lost!"

"How dare you?!" Athrun shouted over his own external speakers, deploying the beam saber that was built into his right forearm.

"Stop it, Athrun!" I warned. "I don't want to fight you anymore!"

When he came at me I leapt up to avoid the slash and came down with all force possible to slam the Schwert Gewehr into the shield that Athrun only managed to get between us in time. Differing from the standard beam saber, the anti-ship sword as it was more like a spear with a beam edge on the side, and that was how I used it: piercing the shield that Athrun only managed to get between us in time. The sharpened point pierced the shield, the anti-beam coating providing no defense, and by applying leverage I managed to tear the shield away from the Aegis.

_"It's too late for that!"_ Athrun shouted back. _"Shoot me!"_

He came at me with the beam blades on both forearms, adding,_ "You said that's what you'd do!"_

Blocking with the short shield that was a part of the Panzer Eisen on the left and striking forearm to forearm with the right before punching the Aegis right in the head. I was hoping to damage the sensors built into the head, but the mobile suit was completely rocked by the move, and it fell to the ground with the Phase Shift armor fading from shades of red to gray tones. The X303 was out of power!

My intent to cripple the Aegis was suddenly at hand, and I raised the Schwert Gewehr over my shoulder with the intent to hack through the prone mobile suit.

"Athrun!" I called, about to declare my intention, when I caught sight of movement to the right.

Its Mirage Colloid stealth system wasn't perfect up close, and damaged as the Blitz was, I was able to catch sight of the mobile suit at the last minute. Holding one of its Lancer Darts under its left arm like a javelin the X207 was attempting to run me down, but having noticed it I had time to turn sideways and dodge the attack. To do this I had to bring down the Schwert Gewehr for balance, holding it parallel to the ground to shift my center of balance, and too late I realized that the beam edge was right at the height of the cockpit.

Unable to check its advance, having committed all its forward motion to the attack, the Blitz ran into the blade, which cut deep into the PS armor. In shock I let go and backed away, unable to do anything but watch in mute horror as the power core on the other mobile suit overloaded and exploded, throwing shrapnel across the small island on which we stood. Physically shaking in the aftermath of what I had done I heard Athrun shout a name, the name of the Blitz' pilot, I think: _"Nicol!"_

End Episode 27

NOTES: This battle represents the apex of what Kira and the crew of the _Archangel_ are capable of: all of the Strike's capabilities are brought to bear; the crew works together to complete the objective; and as a result everyone comes home unharmed . . . physically, at least. I couldn't understand why Kira pursued the Aegis onto the island except that he didn't know how much of a charge Athrun had left – I think Athrun would have abandoned the field if given another moment to consider his options. Comments welcome!


	28. Flashing Blades

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode Twenty-eight: Flashing Blades  
Date: April 15th, C.E. 71

The twisted wreckage of the GAT-X207 Blitz lay between us, the power core having been damaged to the point of exploding; I in the GAT-X105+AQM/E-X02 Sword Strike and my once best friend, Athrun Zala, in the GAT-X303 Aegis. We both seemed too stunned to move, caught off guard by the terrible moment. A strident alarm broke the tension and I was forced to throw up the Panzer Eisen to block incoming fire from the X102 Duel and X103 Buster, who had not gone back to their submersible carrier after all, and moving to the high ground I considered my options.

_"Ensign Yamato!"_ LtJG Natarle Badgiruel called over the comm. _"What's taking you so long?"_

The _Archangel_ was overhead: laying down covering fire with their Igelstellung close-in weapon systems. While the Valiant Mk.8 linear cannons could have depressed far enough to fire I was too close to the other mobile suits for them to risk that.

_"Return now!"_ she ordered. _"I told you there's no reason for you to pursue them any further!"_

Gritting my teeth I leapt into the air, using the thrusters built into the X02's back module to get clear while the ship laid down another barrage of covering fire, the 110cm linear cannons moving into position to fire on the flat proto-islands that emerged from the ocean somewhere between the Orb Union and the Marshall Islands. Under the threat of heavier firepower the three stolen mobile suits escaped into the ocean while I came to land on the deck above the hanger: my mind still reeling from what had happened as I tried to catch my breath in the suddenly cramped-feeling cockpit.

As the island receded into the distance I remembered again the desperate lunge of the Blitz, using a salvaged Lancer Dart as a lance. Perhaps he'd intended to fire off the rocket at the end once the tip was in place, but whatever his intent he had been too committed to the lunge. Bringing the Schwert Gewehr down to change my center of gravity the X207 had run right into the powerful laser blade that formed the cutting edge, which was being held at cockpit height to help maintain balance. Now that I thought back the blade could not have cut all the way through the cockpit, but a human body exposed to the kind of energy the blade was giving out wouldn't have lasted long.

_"Nicol!"_ Athrun had shouted over the Aegis' external speakers: the pilot's name?

Feeling a strange sort of detachment I moved the Strike into the starboard launch and was relieved of the X02 equipment before moving the mobile suit to its maintenance cradle. Once power down was complete I took the stirrup-hoist down to the hanger floor: I wanted nothing more than to get out of my flight suit and get some sleep, but I was immediately approached by Chief Murdoch and his maintenance crew.

"Okay, good work!" Murdoch cheered as he clapped me on the shoulder. "I hear you finally got one!"

I looked up at him in shock, and the others seemed to take this as encouragement to surround me, rubbing my head in an affectionate sort of way.

"It was the Blitz, right?" one of the maintainers asked.

"Wow! You did great!" another enthused.

Throwing his arm around my shoulder the Chief related, "Really. You've been pretty good lately, kid!" using his typical term of affection. Then, as if my accomplishment had earned me the title, he corrected himself, "Oops, Ensign!"

"There's just no stopping you!"

"We're counting on you to keep it up!"

Gripping my helmet hard I shouted, "Please stop it!

They seemed shocked, and took a half-step away in surprise at the vehemence in my voice. "I just killed someone," I found myself saying into the silence. "How can you say I did a good job?"

"What's the big deal all of a sudden?" one of the men asked. "You've been doing this for a while now."

His words hit me like a punch in the gut.

Lieutenant Commander Mu La Flaga pushed his way into the circle with an admonitory, "Cut it out!" explaining away my actions with a simple, "Kira's exhausted." In a kind voice he encouraged, "Come on, Kira."

Throwing him an accusatory glance – was he going to congratulate me now, too, I wondered – I walked away from the whole party. Behind me Chief Murdoch chided his personnel back to work as I made my way back to the pilot's ready room to change out of my flight suit; again cursing the regulation that had me endlessly shifting about from one uniform to another. My hope was that I could avoid any more celebrations, avoid human interaction altogether, until I could sort out my feelings, but Mu caught up with me.

"They didn't mean to upset you," the man told me as we walked.

A half-head taller than me the commander had blond hair and blue eyes, and even before he came onboard he'd been considered an ace at mobile armor combat, piloting the difficult to master TS-MA2mod.00 Moebius Zero. As the mobile armor wasn't able to fly in atmosphere he had taken to using the FX-550 Skygrasper, which had been designed to support the GAT-X series mobile suits. I knew him for a good man, but I still quickened my pace; not wanting to talk.

"We all consider you one of us," he stressed.

"I know," I muttered.

Not satisfied with that answer, he sped up too and put a hand on my shoulder to stop me. "Kira!" he started, but his tone softened when I did stop and look back over my shoulder.

"We're soldiers. Not murderers. We're fighting a war!" he stressed the last part. "If one doesn't shoot, one gets shot. That goes for me, for you . . . for all of us!"

"I know!" I shouted back. Why did he think I needed to be reminded of that?

Fiercely he came to his point, "Then stop hesitating! You'll end up losing your life!"

By the look in his eyes I could tell that he was speaking from experience, and I found myself imagining the comrades he'd lost over the course of his career. Mu did care about me, about my wellbeing, and he was speaking out of that concern. For a moment I entertained the thought of what it would be like for my friends if I were to die tomorrow, leaving them without their best defense. It was a sobering thought.

We both changed out of our flight suits and the commander further shielded me from the general mood of celebration by escorting me to the captain's office. There, with our commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Murrue Ramius; our executive officer, Lieutenant Junior Grade Natarle Badgiruel; and the other Skygrasper pilot, Tolle Koenig; we were obliged to give our after-action reports for the record. Mu gave his report with quick, concise statements of fact; I gave my report still struggling with my own feelings; while Tolle crowed over his achievements – the successful delivery of the AQM/E-X02 striker pack and his attack run on the Blitz.

The second he was called down for: "Your orders were to act as a spotter for the Strike," LtJG Badgiruel stressed. However, as Tolle's actions had given me the opening I needed to damage the Blitz and confiscate its Guul sub-flight lifter he got off with just a baleful glare from the lieutenant.

Once that duty was finished we were at liberty, and I took the opportunity to slip into my quarters, hoping for some rest. Sleep, however, was difficult, and after laying awake for some hours I crept out of my quarters and headed to the hanger; being careful to avoid groups of people as I didn't want to be congratulated again. As it was still early, not yet time for breakfast, I found the hanger blessedly empty, as I'd hoped. Torii, my robotic bird, landed on my left shoulder, then fluttering about moved to my right.

Staring up at the Strike I replayed the destruction of the Blitz again in my mind, remembering the anguish in Athrun's voice as he screamed the pilot's name. The death of 'Nicol' had been entirely unintentional as my goal had been to disable as many of the stolen mobile suits as possible. Even to me it seemed like a tragic waste and a horrible way to die.

_Athrun_, I thought, wondering how I could possibly apologize to him for killing his comrade-in-arms, possibly even his friend.

"Birdy," Torii chirped, and when I smiled at the metal contraption it ribbed its wing against my cheek affectionately.

Of course, having Torii here reminded me of when Athrun had gifted me the robot bird, and the more recent memory of having seen my old friend at the Morgenroete facility on Onogoro Island three days ago now.

"Birdy," it chirped again as my smile turned to a frown of consideration.

I looked back up at the Strike, the armor plates in grey tones, with the Phase Shift armor turned off, and the words of Andrew Waltfeld, commander of ZAFT forces in northern Africa, came to me. _"There's no choice but to fight! As long as we're enemies!"_ he had told me during that last battle. _"Until one of us is destroyed!"_ He had been the one destroyed that day.

_Enemy_, I wondered, and looking after Torii as it flew off to whatever errand its programming directed I thought, _I am your enemy?_

As much as I wanted to deny it I knew the truth: _That's right, isn't it, Athrun?_

Now more than ever Athrun would view me as his enemy, because that's the way that I would view him if the roles were reversed and he were to kill one of my friends.

The thought was not a cheerful one, and with no one to see me I sat down on the hanger deck and pulled my knees to my chest while I processed the horrible certainty that the next time that Athrun and I fought it would be to the death.

How long I sat there I did not know: long enough for Torii to come back and perch on my shoulder again, but then Petty Officer Chandra's voice was calling over the PA, the alert sounding. _"All pilots, level one battle stations! All pilots, level one battle stations!"_

I ran for the corridor that would take me to the ready room, but as I passed a side corridor I heard my name being called and turned to find Flay Allster. A beautiful young woman with dark red hair down to her shoulders and intense grey eyes she had recently been promoted to Quartermaster's Assistant. Until recently we had been dating . . . or dating as much as two people could do on a ship . . . more making out in my quarters than spending time in society, if truth be told. That is, until I realized that the psychological scars of her father's death almost three months ago were beyond my ability to understand or heal.

"Kira . . . Kira . . . I . . ." she stammered, not meeting my eyes, and I wondered if she meant to make an apology or an attempt to renew our relationship.

"Sorry. Later," I told her as I looked away as well. Promising, "After I return," I threw her a reassuring grin before continuing my run.

Mu met me in the ready room and we were briefed while we changed back into our flight suits: the three remaining stolen mobile suits were making another run. Like before I would take up a position on the upper hull, but this time I would be using the AQM/E-X01 Aile Striker pack as the X03 Launcher had already been equipped to Commander La Flaga's skygrasper. We would not be able to use a smoke screen because the islands in this region were taller, and overgrown besides, and we didn't want the ship to run aground. Again we were pushing for time: trying to drive off the attacking force long enough to enter the airspace of the Atlantic Federation as we made our way north-by-northeast towards Alaska.

Rushing to our machines we powered up while being moved to the launch positions, Miriallia Haw from her place as Flight Controller announcing over the PA, _"Skygrasper One, Commander La Flaga taking off! Strike, proceed to the rear deck!_

_"Kira!"_ the commander called to get my attention.

"Yes?"

_"You gonna be okay?"_

"Yes," I sighed.

That seemed to be answer enough for the commander who lifted off while I was first equipped with the beam rifle, shield and short-winged thrusters of the Aile Striker before proceeding to the rear deck, as ordered. The sky was shades of purple, with the sun rising steadily over the ocean, and at the very limits of my targeting range I could see the three mobile suits on their sub-flight lifters slowly catching up; the Buster taking pot-shots at us with his hyper impulse long-range sniper rifle – one of the two combinations of the 350mm gun launcher and 94mm high-energy rifle. Eventually the enemy came within range, and the _Archangel _began using its own weapons: sledgehammer missiles and the Valiant Mk.8s

Meanwhile I took careful aim at the Guuls, the lifters the three mobile suits were piloting, with the intent of dropping the trio into the ocean before they could reach effective range. But while that had been an effective strategy in our last two engagements Athrun and the remaining pilots had gotten wily, and were bobbing their platforms so that I couldn't get a clear shot. The Buster moved around the side of the ship, using the two large weapons that had been integrated into the X103 to fire on the _Archangel_ directly, and Commander La Flaga moved in to engage it.

Beneath me the ship rocked with impacts and maneuvers as dense clouds moved in to blot out the morning sunlight. Athrun moved in close with the Aegis, and I put my anti-beam shield between us to block his shot before launching up after him. Once airborne, though, I was attacked from the side by the Duel, which fired its shoulder weapons – a beam rifle and missile pod – forcing me to dodge.

They attacked from both sides, demonstrating far more coordination then I'd ever seen between the two. Usually the Duel rushed in, guns blazing, while the other mobile suits backed it up – the Buster was its usual partner, providing covering fire from the rear. Once in the thick of combat the pilot would fire at targets of opportunity unless I was on the field: in that case the Duel would come straight at me with a single-minded purpose that was frightening at times. Athrun usually played a support role until confronted directly, and then he would usually fight to get clear. Working together, for them, was unheard of.

We were close enough to the ship that the Igelstellung was a serious problem, so while the Duel had me engaged Athrun turned his beam rifle on the CIWS, destroying two of the 75mm weapons and the Helldart anti-aircraft missile tubes located below the bridge.

The ship was taking some serious hits, and I was forced to return to the aft deck while the _Archangel_ returned fire with the Gottfried Mk.71s. Now the Duel's pilot demonstrated his insanity as he rushed the CIWS to come after me, and dropping the beam rifle I moved in to meet him beam saber to anti-beam shields. Despite having been built for close-range combat, the pilot had distained such tactics in the past and instead outfitted the machine with an assault shroud that included heavier armor. He seemed to have learned from his past mistakes, though, as he blocked the jab I'd intended to use to cut off the emitter end of his beam saber, as I'd done before.

Occupied, I could only witness in horror as the Aegis leapt from its lifter, converted to mobile armor mode, and used its Scylla 580mm energy cannon to destroy one of the Valiant linear cannons.

Breaking away, I returned to the rear deck to retrieve the beam rifle. It was a paltry replacement for the linear cannon, but the whole port side of the ship was now completely exposed to enemy fire, and if Mu was to lose the Buster then that mobile suit could blow a hole deep into the _Archangel_, crippling the ship completely.

With a curse I launched myself into the air again, going after the Duel with my own Igelstellung blazing, but to my surprise the Duel leapt from its Guul and kicked out at the Strike. I only managed to bring up the shield in time, but as I was falling back towards the surface I managed to score a hit! Just as the Duel was coming back to land on its lifter I hit the right leg, the beam shot punching a hole through the armor plate and into the mobile suit itself.

The leg exploded, throwing the Duel from its ride. It fell towards the ocean firing randomly with the shoulder-mounted beam weapon, one of the shots hitting my beam rifle. I was forced to abandon the weapon, which exploded, and then I had the Aegis to deal with.

Now missing a ranged weapon I closed in quickly, using my anti-beam shield to defend against the Aegis' beam rifle, but once more unusual tactics were used against me. Abandoning his Guul Athrun sent the craft towards me before blowing it up with his beam rifle, as I'd done the day before. The explosion knocked me out of the air and I only just managed to maneuver towards a forested island; landing heavily.

Athrun switched to the beam saber built into the right forearm of the Aegis, coming down with the intent of cutting through the Strike – the Phase Shift armor being an ineffective defense against beam weaponry. Bracing the shield with both hands I fended off that blow, and when we were forced to leap apart I pulled one of the beam sabers housed in the thruster pack. He came at me again, and I dodged by doing a thruster-assisted leap, coming back with a slash of my own, which he dodged with a backflip, using his Igelstellung to lay down covering fire while I activated the beam saber built into the feet of the X303 and came at me again!

The blades were a feint, though, as he kicked the shield I'd raised rather than rake it, knocking me back.

Over his speakers Athrun shouted, _"Kira! How dare you?!"_ We clashed again in midair, and as we separated he accused, _"You killed Nicol!"_ and converting to mobile armor mode he fired the Scylla, which I narrowly dodged.

If I could just get him to do that a couple more times it should completely drain his batteries.

_"Kira!"_ a voice called over the comm., and looking up I saw a skygrasper on approach.

"Tolle? No! Stay back!"

Ignoring my warning my friend fired his beam cannon to drive the Aegis back and then fired an anti-ship missile. At the last moment Athrun jumped his mobile suit away and unable to actively engage a flying opponent he instead through the Aegis' shield. This improvised projectile spun through the air, and the skygrasper was unable to maneuver in time. Smashing into the nose it spun through the cockpit, shattering the inches-thick canopy and crushing Tolle's body before continuing on through the rest of the fuselage.

"Tolle!" I shouted as the aircraft exploded overhead.

Lightning struck a tree behind the Aegis as I struggled to process what had just happened: Tolle, my friend, my roommate back at college, the first Normal besides my step-parents who had known me for a Coordinator and not cared; and now he was dead.

As tears gathered at the corner of my eyes I felt that clarity of thought and screaming, "Athrun!" I charged my friend's killer.

Deflecting his right-hand beam blade with the shield I swung the beam saber up, the strange angle allowing me to bypass Aegis' shield and sever the left arm between the chest and shoulder armor, followed by a kick to the head to get clearance. Athrun managed to land lightly and geared up for a return attack. He came rushing in, far faster than I'd expected, and used the beam blade on the left foot to cleave through the Strike's left shoulder, and I countered by severing the head of the Aegis at the neck.

Again, he came back almost immediately and used the right foot blade this time to cut a vertical gash through the chest armor, destroying my main monitor as the tip of the blade laid open the cockpit. I could see right out into the storm to see the headless Aegis.

"Athrun!" I shouted.

_"Kira!"_ Athrun shouted back.

Before I could prepare a counter attack the Aegis converted to mobile armor mode, looking like some hellish sea monster made mecha. The Aegis had been designed to serve as a command unit, capable of rushing through a battle and catching damaged mobile suits; whisking them to safety. Now those limbs, three in number as I'd cut off one of the arms, wrapped around the torso of the Strike, the Scylla at the junction of the joints glowing as it prepared to fire.

Then, miraculously, the beam weapon powerful enough to punch holes through starships powered down, the whole body of the Aegis turning from red to grey tones as the PS armor starved for power. Without that the machine was vulnerable to kinetic damage, and I struggled to free the Strike one armed, bringing the Igelstellung to bear on my friend's killer. Through the gash in the armor I could see the cockpit of the Aegis open and a figure in a red flight suit take to the air with a jetpack better suited to EVA in space.

If that was the way he wanted to do this, fine; I pulled off my restraints and lunged through the gap in the cockpit, intending to give chase. Climbing up onto the shoulder I prepared to follow when the Aegis exploded, the concussive force sending me high into the air, tumbling and spinning until I couldn't tell the dark sky from the dark ocean. Thrashing to stabilize myself I saw two spots of purple flame, like eyes staring out of a face made up of inky black smoke . . .

End Episode 28

NOTES: Wow, I finally reached the point in the story that I'm most looking forward to, and most dreading. I've been teasing the Genie's Trap this whole time: for those that haven't figured out what that is you'll see in the next episode. At first I intended to use an ejection seat, but after watching the episodes over I realized that Cagalli had to be convinced that Kira could not have survived, and if the ejection seat was gone the search would have continued to fan out until they found it.


	29. Grieving Skies

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode Twenty-nine: Grieving Skies  
Date: April 17th, 2015

The pain drove away all thoughts of the flame-like eyes out of my head, and leaning forward I vomited spectacularly, the sick being caught in close to my face and held there.

"Dude, what's wrong with him?" someone sitting to my left asked.

"I don't know," another to my right answered, "get the bag off before he drowns."

A thick black bag was pulled off my head and some of the puke rolled out and down my chest while I blinked in confusion. I was sitting in the back seat of a car between two men with the hard-eyed look of people who'd seen much in their short lives. Under the jacket of one I caught sight of a holstered gun and the other held a knife to my ribs: the threat didn't need to be said for me to understand that any sudden moves would result in punctured liver.

"W-What's h-happening?" I managed to wheeze, my voice sounding nothing like it usually did.

"Nothin' to worry about Mr. Brown," the man on my right growled menacingly. "We just want some questions answered."

"N-Nothing to worry about?" I repeated, feeling only marginally better. "That might have been true when I hadn't seen your faces, but now you're facing kidnapping charges." Making threats probably wasn't the best idea in this situation; and why were they calling me 'Mr. Brown'.

_David Brown_: the name came to me immediately because it was my name! David William Brown, a down-on-his-luck college grad with an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in accounting that was getting me nowhere. My entire life flashed before my eyes, up until the point that I lit that lamp in my apartment. Everything after that was from Kira Yamato's perspective – I'd been Kira, I'd felt the controls of the Strike Gundam and the acceleration of the machine as it maneuvered, and interacted with the crew of the _Archangel_. When I'd lit that lamp I'd been thinking, _it would be so cool to be Kira Yamato._

We pulled into a parking structure and the guy on the right got out to use his cell phone. He talked for a moment with whoever was on the other end, before telling his companions, "We're a bust: let him go and let's get out of here."

"You know, he could still accuse us of kidnapping," the driver said in a tight voice.

"And attempted murder, the way that knife was positioned," I added. Then I promised, "But if you go your way then so will I."

I was helped out, the bag of sick thrown at my feet, and then the trio were heading away in their car. Left alone I started patting my pockets, coming away with a cellphone and wallet; the cell phone was new, but the wallet was the familiar eagle-stamped leather billfold that I'd bought from a Boy Scouts of America troop at the last city fair. There was over $100 in cash, a couple of unfamiliar credit cards, and three pictures of myself – my real self – with Megan Astor.

Activating the cellphone I searched through the contacts until I found Megan's number, calling it. She picked up almost immediately, but her voice was hesitant as she answered, _"David?"_

"Hi, yea; well, this is awkward."

_"Yea, awkward if the right word. The flame on the lamp went out, so I know that you're . . . well, you. Just tell me where you are and I'll send someone to pick you up."_

"To be honest, I'm in a parking garage somewhere: I'll call you back when I've got a street address," I told her, then as an afterthought added, "Oh, could you send some clothes along? I'm afraid I threw up when I . . . came to."

_"Of course,"_ she replied. _"I-I'll be waiting for your call."_

Hanging up and dropping the bag of sick in a garbage can, I found my way out of the parking structure to find that it was part of a high rise somewhere in downtown Los Angeles. I found some street signs and called back with my location, and less than a quarter hour later I was being picked up by a dark blue limousine: a diplomatic color meant to blend in without offending certain sensibilities – black being the color of mourning in the west while white was the color of mourning in the east.

The interior was well appointed, but there was no one to talk to but the driver, and he had the privacy screen up. All I could do was clean myself off with baby wipes and change clothes, paying little attention to where we were going. We left the city and made our way to the Astor estate, which I remembered from the times I'd gone there for the photo shoots.

My door was opened by a man with the same threatening demeanor as the toughs who'd kidnapped me, but this man looked concerned not threatening. "I know it's none of my business, David," the man confided like we were conspirators, "but whatever you did just apologize and take the blame; even if it isn't your fault."

"Thanks," I said while trying to put a name to the man's face. It was impossible: I didn't know this guy. "That sounds like advice to live by when it comes to women."

Laughing, the man led me into the house, past the hallway filled with the images of the Astor's patriarchs, to an office about halfway down. Inside Megan Astor, as lovely as I remembered with her strawberry-blonde hair and athletic body, and a man I only vaguely recognized as the lawyer who'd delivered the lamp; he was slender, like a devoted marathon runner, but his suit was fine dark linen and professionally tailored. They were seated to one side where three chairs surrounded a circular table, on which was the old ceramic lamp from which the creature of smoke and fire had emerged.

"Hello, Mr. Brown," the lawyer said, standing up to shake my hand. "We've met before: my name is William Riley, lead legal counsel for the Astor Estate."

"I remember," was my reply as we shook hands.

"Ah, good; that should make things easier. Why don't you have a seat? I imagine that you have a lot of questions."

"The season's changed," I noted, looking out the window. "So, two questions, really: what the hell is that lamp, and what did it do to me?"

Nodding, Mr. Riley answered, "Right to the point: I like that. Alright, tell me what you know about the dijinn?" At my dumb look he corrected, "They're better known as 'genie'."

"You mean like Disney's Aladdin or _1001 Arabian Nights_? Rub the lamp and you get three wishes," I answered. "The first is usually flawed, forcing the genie's master to use their second wish to correct the first, but in doing problems increase, until wisher finally wishes that they never found the lamp."

Waving away that explanation, the lawyer replied, "Those tales are only a shadow of the truth: the dijinni only grant one wish, but not in the way you might expect. First you have to understand that they are ethereal beings, unable to exist on our plane of existence without a vessel. They can inhabit inanimate objects but cannot interact with the world in that form; so they created a pact with humans – a pact that has been forgotten but is still in effect."

I was horrified even before Mr. Riley continued, "The person who lights the lamp agrees to give up their body to the dijinn. In return, the human's soul is placed inside the lamp where they experience one perfect wish – a lifetime of happiness."

He said it with such a wistful expression that I couldn't help but wonder what his 'perfect wish' might have been. "So, the genie hijacked my body: what's it been doing the past three months?"

"David and I are engaged to marry," Megan spoke at last. "Since taking over your body we've been consolidating our hold on the family companies, countering the old fools who thought to take over after my grandfather's death, and making ventures into the robotics industry."

Nodding, the man energetically noted, "It has been a most amazing thing to watch: apparently the dijinn takes on some of the personality traits and interests of the host – which was why Mr. Astor was so particular on the choice."

A disturbing understanding reached me then, and I wondered, "Old Mr. Astor was the genie's last host, wasn't he. You're engaged to marry your grandfather?"

Megan blushed, but defended her position, "I'm securing a valuable resource for my family." It was an excuse, but one founded on solid reasons. "Usually the dijinn chooses a new host from within the family: a son or grandson. Only all my brothers and cousins share a predilection towards alcohol and the company of . . . loose women. He'd experienced all that, so he wanted his new host to come from outside the family. When that happens one of the women of the family become his link to the funds and estates. I loved my grandfather as a grandfather, but, yes, I did know that he'd be reincarnated into whatever body he chose, and that I'd be his wife."

She was defiant: not challenging me, precisely; more firm in her conviction than anything else.

"Why was I kidnapped?"

"You were kidnapped?" was the immediate response.

I nodded, and explained, "I came to inside a car with three toughs: they had to pull the bag off my head when I threw up in it and then stopped at that high rise to get instructions. They cut me loose because they'd had to reveal themselves and I promised not to report them."

After a moment of meaningful looks passing between Megan and William the woman answered, "The building belonged to one of our biggest rivals in the telecommunications field: you were probably abducted to determine who much you were involved in our new telecom ventures."

"So, the genie hung me out to dry?"

"That's the way it might seem," the lawyer attempted to dissemble, "but just think: without you getting sick and having that hood taken off you'd never have been released."

"Semantics," I answered the man, "is the study of the logical aspects of meaning."

He nodded, understanding my meaning. I could have quoted Obi-Wan Kenobi's "different point of view", but I thought legalese would mean more to these two. Whether or not the genie let me go because it had known I'd be released if I saw the faces of my abductors did not negate the fact that by doing so it was leaving me holding the bag.

Looking at Megan, I asked, "So, what happens now?"

"That's up to you," she answered, putting a lighter on the table next to the lamp. "I love David, the amalgam of your body and the dijinn's soul, but I can't force you to light the lamp. The pact can be made unwittingly, but not unwillingly. So, either you light the lamp and make the exchange, or William and I contrive a reason for our falling out and we go separate ways.

"No chance that the two of us could be together?" I wondered, and her gimlet-eyed stare was enough to know that I did not want to pursue that line of thinking.

Taking the lighter I considered my options before flicking the striker and putting the flame to the wick.

Smoke began to pour from the mouth of the lamp, a tendril wrapping around my wrist before the rest began to pool onto the ground between the lamp and myself. It took the form of a man – two arms and two legs connected to a central trunk, the head forming last with a pair of purple flames in the place of eyes. There was a sensation like my thoughts and feelings were being sifted and judged, and then the voice intoned: _GRANTED!_

. . .

. . .

The pain drove away all thoughts of the flame-like eyes out of my head. For a moment I thought that I should have been sick to my stomach, but I wasn't: it was just the full body pain that I had to deal with. My eyelids felt grainy and resisted my attempts to open them, snapping closed immediately if I did not make a conscious effort, and looking I took stock of my surroundings mostly by feel than anything else.

I was laying on a bed, the blankets tucked under my arms, in a room made of glass; like a greenhouse crossed with a hospital room. Standing next to my bed was a young woman, perhaps 16 years old, with light pink hair and pale cerulean eyes, a pair of gold barrettes clipped in place above her left eye. For a moment I thought, _jail bait_, and then I remembered that I was only 16, too.

Why did I think I was older?

Because I'd been older in my dream – I was always in my mid-twenties in those strange dreams.

She smiled at me, and in a high sweet voice she told me, "Good morning."

End Episode 29

NOTES: This was actually a really tough episode to write, and I struggled with how to reveal the whole 'genie's trap' aspect. Let me know what you think in the comments.


	30. In the Promised Land

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode Thirty: In the Promised Land  
Date: April 21st, C.E. 71

"Where . . . am . . . I?" Each word was a struggle to get out, and I wondered if I was making much sense as my strangely familiar nurse came around to the side of the bed.

She was a lovely young woman with soft pink hair and luminous blue eyes, wearing a pink dress with white panels, and gazing at me with the concern of a friend. The room was glass, the walls and the ceiling, bathing us both with natural light that complemented her peaches-and-cream complexion. At her side was a pink ball, a haro, that chattered banal phrases that could sometimes be off topic . . . usually things it had heard often enough to store in its limited memory.

"Do you recognize this place?" she asked me.

I wondered if this was the kind of question you asked someone recovering from whatever had happened to me; the kind of remark meant to encourage the patient to answer as many of their own questions as possible.

Over her shoulder the pink haro announced, "Haro, fine. Feeling fine?"

"Miss . . ." I started, trying to put a name to the tantalizingly familiar face, ". . . Lacus?"

This recognition pleased the girl, but she admonished me softly, "My! Just call me Lacus, Kira. I'm so pleased that you remember me."

"No problem. No problem," the haro cheered as it bounced onto the bed and waved its arm covers.

A man walked inside the daylight sick-room wearing a mint and white overcoat with black panels on the breast wearing a red motif of either flames or talons. His black hair was slicked back and fell nearly to his shoulders and he had his eyes clothes, but seemed to have no trouble maneuvering around the bed despite his blindness with the use of a cane.

"Has he awakened?" the man inquired.

"Yes, Reverend Malchio," Lacus replied, giving me a name for the man. Unfortunately the name meant nothing to me, and I was fairly sure I'd never met him before.

"You must be surprised, waking up out here," the man surmised.

I was surprised about a lot of things, least of these were my present accommodations, which seemed to be some amalgam of greenhouse and bedroom.

He concluded by explaining, "Miss Lacus strongly insisted that we bring your bed outside."

For a moment I attempted to sit up, to take better stock of my physical situation and location, but I feel back to the bed after barely lifting myself a centimeter.

"Because it feels so much better out here," Lacus maintained. Perhaps looking for validation, she asked, "It's better than being indoors, don't you think?"

"How come . . ." I managed, wanting to ask why I was here? I was pretty sure that this was one of the PLANT space colonies.

Reverend Malchio answered, "You were laying injured in my prayer garden."

I had a vague memory of rain . . . and the voices of children? How had I come to be there?

_"Athrun!"_ the memory of my own voice came back to me.

_"Kira!"_ my old friend had shouted back, his voice a mirror for mine: angry and determined.

Athrun and myself had been fighting, he in the GAT-X303 Aegis and I in the X105 Strike Gundam, in the middle of a storm. I'd blocked his thrust with the beam blade on the right arm of his mobile suit and followed up with a beam saber strike that severed the left arm of the Aegis. Sweat began to break out on my face and chest as the memories of the battle unfolded in my memory.

"And I brought you here," the revered completed his story, most of which I'd missed.

My breath coming in sharp gasps I remembered more of the battle – kicking the Aegis in the head to create an opening, only to have Athrun close the distance quicker than I'd expected. He'd used the beam blade on one of the legs to sever the left arm of the Strike while I screamed his name again.

"Kira?" Lacus asked, concerned.

"But . . . why?" I managed. "Why . . . am I . . ." Slowly it was dawning on me that I shouldn't be asking 'why am I here?' but another question altogether.

Perhaps trying to sooth me, Reverend Malchio softly, and cryptically answered, "You are the man who possesses the Seed. That's why."

This news seemed to startle Lacus, but I needed more direct answers. Against the protestations of my body I sat up, but the best that I could manage was a sort of upright fetal position, clutching the bedclothes in both my hands against the pain. Lacus said my name again, her voice full of concern and caution, while her haro more aptly cried out, "There's a problem."

Lacus leaned down and placed her soft hand atop my own before I could manage to get out, "I . . . fought against Athrun." Tears of pain and regret streamed from my eyes as I looked up at the pair: Malchio was all solemn acceptance, but Lacus was shocked.

My mind's eye replayed the scene of the Aegis blowing up: I'd studied the Strike well enough to know that a similar explosion would have wiped out a quarter-mile radius – blasting trees and knocking down rock formations. "I couldn't have escaped death," I maintained as Lacus maintained her grip on my hand.

Tears were streaming down my face as I felt guilt for fighting against my friend, and the young woman responded by sitting on the bed and leaning against me.

"Kira," she sighed, trying to comfort me. "Lay back, Kira; you'll hurt yourself like this." In a more authoritative tone she added, "And I've put too much work into patching you up to have you hurting yourself again. Here, I'll raise the head of the bed so that you can be more comfortable."

I relaxed back into the bed and Reverend Malchio excused himself while Lacus retrieved a tea service. This was all so very strange, the situation and environment, that after a few minutes I'd started calming down. Not stressing my injuries helped, as the endorphins meant to battle the pain went straight to my head instead, leaving me a little dizzy.

By the time that Lacus returned I'd managed to work through most of my memories, and as she poured the tea I figured, "Nothing could be done about it. I killed . . ." and I remembered again the destruction of the Blitz – how the Schwert Gewehr had become lodged in the abdomen of the mobile suit, the blade emitting high energy into the cockpit, killing the pilot. ". . . his friend."

"And Athrun . . ." I continued in a hollow sort of voice, remembering Tolle's skygrasper being hit by the shield thrown by the Aegis, ". . . killed my friend."

"That's why . . ." but I couldn't go on.

Lacus finished for me, "So you tried to kill Athrun, right? And Athrun tried to kill you."

Yes, he'd tried to kill me: I remembered hearing the anger and determination in his voice as he'd shouted my name during the battle. My own inarticulate reply had been no less fierce. We'd traded blows, cleaved pieces off of each other's mobile suits. I'd taken the head off the Aegis, but Athrun had dragged the tip of one of his beam blades through the abdominal armor of the Strike: laying open the cockpit so that I could see the Aegis with the naked eye.

Again, I remembered the Aegis exploding: the heat and concussive force of it.

"But that could not be helped, could it?" Lacus reasoned.

I looked at her, wondering if she were taking my side or truly reconciled that I'd tried to take Athrun's life – her fiancé.

"Because we're at war," she pronounced softly, her eyes holding no reproach. There was a determination in her expression, though. While I was trying to figure that out she continued, "You both fought against an enemy."

An enemy? I could still remember the last two times I'd met Athrun Zala face to face, without a mobile suit or a dozen yards of vacuum to separate us: when as children he'd gifted me Torii and just last week outside Morgenroete when he'd handed Torii back to me.

"Am I wrong?" Lacus asked.

I'd asked this question of myself, the morning before that last battle: staring up at the Strike I'd wondered, _I am your enemy?_ An then with the leaded feeling of near certainty I'd thought, _That's right, isn't it, Athrun?_

"Enemy . . ." I mused while taking a sip of the tea Lacus had given me. It had a slightly bitter taste, and I realized that she must have crushed up my medicine while inside the house and put it in the cup. Deciding to take my meds and drained the cup while giving her an accusatory stare while she just smiled at me in turn, pleased that her ploy had worked so well.

The haro was bouncing on my bed as Lacus laid back the head. Just before I fell asleep she whispered the little robot to silence, and it settled down. Only then did I really manage to fall asleep.

End Episode 30

NOTES: I've never suffered a major illness, or a long hospital stay, so writing sick-room scenes is a little awkward. Please let me know your thoughts for possible improvements.


	31. The Gathering Darkness

Genie's Trap: A Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fan Fiction  
Episode Thirty-one: The Gathering Darkness  
Date: April 21st, C.E. 71

Through some combination of Miss Lacus' nursing and the resiliency my parents had programmed into my genetics I woke next feeling much improved. As I was alone there was no one to ask for permission, or to deny it, so I climbed out of bed and tested my feet by walking down to a lookout that gave a wonderful view of the water and the central pillar of the space colony. PLANT colonies were shaped like hourglasses, with islands at either end, enclosed by transparent panels that tapered down as they approached the center power generator and docking facility. Gravity here felt more natural than it had on the Heliopolis resource satellite, even though both were achieved by centrifugal force.

A few sailboats plied the wide lake, and I wondered if this PLANT was a fishery.

Tolle would have liked it here . . .

Tolle . . . I could still remember the sound of his voice as he called out to me that day on Heliopolis. I could remember how happy he and Miriallia were together as the met me after classes, and how he'd ribbed me with the news that Flay Allster and Sai Argyle had taken the step to actually exchange letters. Our playful banter in Professor Kato's lab seemed irreconcilably connected with his assurances to Miriallia over the news of the day.

_"Although they're close, we're a neutral entity,"_ he'd remarked on the report that fighting was going on near the Orb Union. _"It's unthinkable for Orb to become a battlefield."_

Of course, the battle had come to Heliopolis, instead, and we'd found ourselves aboard the _Archangel._ The security personnel had over reacted when then-Lieutenant Mu La Flaga had outed me as a Coordinator, but Tolle had defended me. He'd demanded, _"Wh-What do you think you're doing? He may be a Coordinator, but Kira is not an enemy! Didn't you see what went on earlier?"_

He'd gone on, questioning, _"You've gotta be outta your mind!"_

The guy had been of like mind with me: he wanted to protect the others and had even gone as far as to qualify to fly one of the FX-550 Skygrasper support fighters. _"I volunteered!"_ he announced to LTC La Flaga and myself. _"I've got to do what I can."_

But he'd been reckless. In only his second sortie he'd tried help me against the Aegis.

_"Tolle? No! Stay back!"_ I'd warned, but he'd been determined to help. Instead of getting clear he'd fired a missile, and committed to the attack he'd been unable to pull out in time to avoid the shield that Athrun had thrown in retaliation. I'd watched in horror as the skygrasper exploded, killing him.

_Tolle!_

My eyes filled with tears as I lamented my friend.

"What are you looking at?" Lacus inquired as she came down the steps behind me, accompanied as always by her pink haro.

"That's a problem!" the haro ascertained.

She came to stand beside me at the railing, looking at me with those kind blue eyes of here. "Kira," she said, and I knew that the young woman was about to make some too knowing observation. "You always seem to dream sad dreams."

Gulls cried over the waves; a party of haros played behind us; birds chirped in the trees; sunlight beat down upon us, bathing the entire seen in natural radiance; and the wind played through the rosebushes to perfume the air.

"I am sad," I admitted, untouched by the scene.

This was the first time I'd been truly at liberty to contemplate my many failures. The destruction of Heliopolis was at least partially my fault, followed by the string of battles that included the destruction of the 8th Advance Fleet. I'd managed to save the shuttle of refugees, but that had been a near thing: if I hadn't been studying the workings of the Strike and its weapons options I'd never have managed that. Studying a war machine . . .

"Many people have died . . ." but that admission wasn't enough as I remembered the numerous times I'd killed in defense of my friends, so I admitted, " . . . and I have killed . . . many people."

I'd tried to kill Athrun, there at the end; and that on top of everything else had me tearing up again.

Rather than be repulsed by my admission or my weakness, Lacus stroked the side of my head and reasoned kindly, "You were in battle."

I looked to check that she wasn't just humoring me, but her eyes were open and honest as she maintained, "And I'm positive that there were also many things that you were able to protect."

She gave me a cheerful smile, but then her own mood darkened, and she looked out over the water towards the central pillar. "But . . ." she started to say, and I wondered where her thoughts were leading her: she looked so sad. Rather than confide in me, though, she leaned in close and clapped her hands, enthusing, "Right now, let's have something to eat."

I was surprised by this change of mood as she took my arm to lead me back up to the house. "I'll go and reheat the foot."

"But . . ." I objected feebly, while the pink haro cried out for attention.

"Besides," Lacus maintained with the firmness of moral authority, "it's still important that you rest."

"I won't accept that!" the haro objected – to being ignored or my treatment I wasn't sure. "I won't accept that!" It bounced after us, catching up quickly.

"Do not worry," she said, but to be honest I wondered if she was trying to reassure herself. "It is still . . . peaceful here."

So, she was worried that the fighting that was going on between ZAFT and OMNI-Enforcer was going to return to the colonies. I couldn't see how: from the reports the Orb military had given to the crew of the _Archangel_ Earth Forces were concentrating their defenses around the mass driver at Panama. It was the last of the mass drivers in the control of OMNI-E, and without it the military forces in orbit would be cut off from resupply. That would make the fronts in space a battle of attrition; not that that front had been going very well to begin with, what with the technological edge being controlled by ZAFT.

Her father was a member of the Supreme Committee, so maybe she knew more of the underlying strategies than I was aware of.

We ate in the house and then took tea on a balcony overlooking the back gardens. The sun was setting . . . or rather our side of the hour-glass had rotated to a point that simulated sunset. Even though it wouldn't last long, a couple of hours perhaps at the rate of rotation, the orange glow was very pretty to look at.

Setting the tea service down Lacus came to stand by my side, musing, "Wouldn't it be nice if we could remain like this forever?"

I would be nice, but I looked back out over the placid lake knowing that the peace I felt couldn't last forever.

End Episode 31

NOTES: We've had two episodes of recaps and subtext, and I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to seeing some action! In the You-Tube English subtitled version I've been using to get the script the episode is entitled simply "Gathering Darkness", which I think is a more fitting title because you're left to question just who is gathering the darkness. Is it Rau La Creuset getting information in Alaska? Or the military tribunal twisting the facts to meet their own racist agenda? Maybe it's Kira, knowing that he'll have to return to the battlefield sooner or later? Please leave comments.


End file.
